End-stage alcoholism is the final, most destructive stage of alcoholism. Typically, an individual reaches end-stage alcoholism after years of alcohol abuse. At this point, people who have spent years drinking may have developed numerous health and mental conditions in addition to their alcohol abuse.
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You consent to receive SMS notifications and promotions from Addictionresource. Chronic, long-term drinking can contribute to malnutrition by replacing foods needed for essential nutrients and by interfering with absorption, storage, or metabolism of the essential nutrients. This can also lead to anemia, when your red blood cell (RBC) count is lower than normal or there’s a problem with the hemoglobin protein inside those cells. According to the CDC, more than one million people die yearly of cirrhosis, including over 40,000 people in the United States. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.
Who is at Risk for Developing Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?
They will also exhibit symptoms of retrograde amnesia and find it challenging to learn and process new information. If you or someone you love is exhibiting any of the above symptoms, it’s vital to immediately contact emergency health services or your healthcare provider. We can help find the right treatment for you or your loved one – even if it’s not ours! If you catch and treat it early, you can make a full recovery, but it could take up to a year. Confusion and issues related to it are often the last symptoms to go away. Your recovery will depend mostly on how early you started treatment.
How Is Alcohol Abuse Connected To Wet Brain?
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Although Wernicke’s encephalopathy is generally caused by alcoholism, other potential causes include severe malnutrition, liver disease, hyperthyroidism, and severe anorexia. This is a result of chronic alcohol abuse, but can also be caused by intestinal disorders or poor nutrition. Alcoholics with more than 10 years of heavy drinking, previous withdrawal episodes, and delirium tremens have a higher risk of developing Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Malnutrition resulting from alcohol addiction is a common risk factor for this condition.
Treatment and Management Strategies for WKS
Thiamine is water-soluble, meaning it can dissolve in water and does not stay in the body for an extended period of time. Chronic alcohol use can actually speed up the process in mush brain which thiamine leaves the body, with no new ways of replenishing it. Mixing alcohol with unhealthy foods can further speed up the deficiency process, especially since, in addition to alcohol abuse and alcoholism, “wet brain” can also be the result of severe malnutrition. In addition to alcohol addiction, other factors can contribute to thiamine deficiency and increase the risk of developing Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. These include dietary deficiencies, eating disorders, and chemotherapy 2. Sometimes patients with alcohol-induced thiamine deficiency and mild symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy are discharged within a week after administering IV thiamine.
- Thiamine replacement therapy, where vitamin b1 is administered intravenously, can help reverse some cognitive decline and halt the condition from progressing.
- NCBI study said that only 1-20% of the cases are clinically diagnosed, whereas up to 80% are found on post mortem examination of the brains.
- The thiamine will help address problems of confusion or delirium, as well as vision and muscle coordination.
- Wet brain, also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), isn’t as common as some other health problems.
- Blood alcohol levels should be checked along with a liver function test to determine if liver damage has occurred due to alcohol addiction.
Your vision might also change; you could see double or have jerky eye movements (nystagmus). If someone increases their drinking significantly, there could be a problem. Heavy drinking is a threatening practice which can easily transition into alcoholism or an AUD. If you or a loved one struggles with alcohol use and cannot cut back on drinking, there may be a danger of alcoholism.
It is important to note that thiamine supplementation should continue until the patient is no longer at risk, such as as long as they are consuming alcohol. Allergic or anaphylactic reactions to thiamine are rare, and the overall incidence does not warrant significant concern. Reports have shown that more than 300,000 patients have been treated with parental thiamine without experiencing anaphylaxis 5.
- It can also be hard to understand that you even have these symptoms, a symptom known as lack of insight.
- However, thiamine does little to help with Korsakoff’s psychosis as it can’t help to reverse memory loss.
Diagnostic methods, outlined by Medscape 2023, “Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome Workup,” include clinical evaluations and imaging techniques to identify cognitive decline and motor dysfunction. By Toketemu OhwovorioleToketemu has been multimedia storyteller for the last four years. Her expertise focuses primarily on mental wellness and women’s health topics. Chronic alcohol users often have inflamed digestive tracts, making it difficult for the body to absorb the thiamine it needs from the foods they consume. People with Korsakoff’s psychosis have increased difficulty with coordination and movement.
