Delirium tremens is best differentiated from alcohol hallucinosis by which feature?

Unlock all questions

This demo includes only 20 questions. Upgrade to access hundreds of questions, flashcards, exam simulations, and disable ads.

Full question bankExam simulationsFlashcards
From $24.99Unlock all

Prepare for the Dr. High Yield Psychiatry Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Ensure success in your exam!

Multiple Choice

Delirium tremens is best differentiated from alcohol hallucinosis by which feature?

Explanation:
Delirium tremens is defined by severe alcohol withdrawal with delirium and autonomic hyperactivity. The key feature is unstable vital signs driven by sympathetic overdrive—tachycardia, hypertension, fever, sweating, and agitation. Alcohol withdrawal hallucinosis, on the other hand, involves prominent hallucinations but the patient remains largely oriented and physiologically stable, without the marked autonomic instability seen in delirium tremens. So the best-supported distinction is that delirium tremens presents with unstable vitals such as hypertension and tachycardia, whereas alcohol hallucinosis typically does not have this autonomic storm.

Delirium tremens is defined by severe alcohol withdrawal with delirium and autonomic hyperactivity. The key feature is unstable vital signs driven by sympathetic overdrive—tachycardia, hypertension, fever, sweating, and agitation. Alcohol withdrawal hallucinosis, on the other hand, involves prominent hallucinations but the patient remains largely oriented and physiologically stable, without the marked autonomic instability seen in delirium tremens.

So the best-supported distinction is that delirium tremens presents with unstable vitals such as hypertension and tachycardia, whereas alcohol hallucinosis typically does not have this autonomic storm.

More Multiple Choice Questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy