title: The Royal College of Physicians report on alcohol: guidelines for managing Wernicke's encephalopathy in the accident and Emergency Department.
abstract: The Royal College of Physicians (London) recently published its latest report on alcohol misuse entitled 'Alcohol - Can the NHS Afford It?'. Part of this document, encompassing our views, has made specific recommendations for the management of patients in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department who may possibly have, or are at risk of developing, Wernicke's encephalopathy. Patients showing evidence of chronic alcohol misuse and suspected of having a poor diet should be treated at the outset with B vitamins intravenously or intramuscularly, especially when the clinical signs are initially masked by drunkenness at presentation to the A&E Department. This commentary offers a review of the scientific foundations on which these recommendations have been made.
authors.affiliation: Kent Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7RN, UK.
authors.forename: Allan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Christopher C H
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Touquet
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Henry
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D013831:Thiamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D013831:Thiamine