Does hypokalaemia precede delirium tremens?
Serum-potassium was determined daily in 37 chronic alcoholics when alcohol was withdrawn on admission to hospital. Serum-potassium was normal in all patients at admission but in 26 patients in whom delirium tremens developed a contiuing decrease in serum-potassium led to hypokalaemia, (mean 2.9 mmol/l) when delirium tremens started. At the end of the attack serum-potassium rapidly returned to normal. The change in serum-potassium was not associated with any variation in serum electrolytes or acidbase balance. In the 11 patients in whom delirium tremens did not develop serum-potassium concentration remained unchanged.
D000368:Aged; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011604:Psychoses, Alcoholic / Q000209:etiology*; D012306:Risk; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood*
D011188:Potassium