A strategy of escalating doses of benzodiazepines and phenobarbital administration reduces the need for mechanical ventilation in delirium tremens*

Abstract

Patients admitted to a medical ICU solely for treatment of severe alcohol withdrawal have a high incidence of requiring mechanical ventilation. Guidelines emphasizing escalating bolus doses of diazepam, and barbiturates if necessary, significantly reduced the need for mechanical ventilation and showed trends toward reductions in ICU length of stay and nosocomial infections.