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[Adjuvant therapy with parenteral piracetam in alcohol withdrawal delirium].
- Source :
-
Orvosi hetilap [Orv Hetil] 2003 May 11; Vol. 144 (19), pp. 927-30. - Publication Year :
- 2003
-
Abstract
- The author reports his results of parenteral piracetam treatment in 193 patients admitted to the Psychiatric Department of Semmelweis Hospital with alcohol withdrawal delirium. Alcohol withdrawal delirium is a complex metabolic disorder, the disturbance of the highest cerebral integrative functions, which is caused by the impairment of cerebral oxidative metabolism. Piracetam is effective on most neurotransmitter systems, without a specific receptor agonism or antagonism, increases the effectivity of different biogenic amine systems, has also an effect on membrane permeability, increases the concentration of NMDA (methyl-D-aspartate) receptors in the impaired brain and improves cognitive functions. In the patients suffered from alcohol dependence piracetam produces positive morphologic changes, by decreasing lipofuscin accumulation. In early stage it prevents the development of delirium. Despite of the great number (approximately 150) of medication that were tried in the treatment of delirium, the ideal one still has not been found. Among the accessible therapeutic possibilities the author searched for methods which make the treatment more effective. The administration of parental piracetam, therefore was brought into his therapeutical protocol. Parenteral piracetam--similarly to literature data--proved to be effective in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal delirium. Considering the present--insufficient--hospital financing, it is remarkable that though the costs of the new therapy are higher than the traditional meprobamat therapy, through less side effect it is more economical (overall costs lower) and by decreasing the time of delirium it is more humane to the patients.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium economics
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium metabolism
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium prevention & control
Anti-Anxiety Agents therapeutic use
Brain drug effects
Brain metabolism
Cognition drug effects
Combined Modality Therapy
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Female
Humans
Hungary
Infusions, Intravenous
Male
Meprobamate therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Neuroprotective Agents adverse effects
Neuroprotective Agents economics
Piracetam adverse effects
Piracetam economics
Treatment Outcome
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium drug therapy
Neuroprotective Agents administration & dosage
Piracetam administration & dosage
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- Hungarian
- ISSN :
- 0030-6002
- Volume :
- 144
- Issue :
- 19
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Orvosi hetilap
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 12809069