A retrospective evaluation of adjunctive phenobarbital versus benzodiazepine alone for the treatment of moderate alcohol withdrawal in the emergency department

Background: Phenobarbital has been used in the emergency department (ED) as both a primary and adjunctive medication for alcohol withdrawal, but previous studies evaluating its impact on patient outcomes are limited by heterogenous symptom severity.Objectives: We compared the clinical outcomes of ED patients with moderate alcohol withdrawal who received phenobarbital, with or without benzodiazepines, to patients who received benzodiazepine treatment alone.Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a single academic medical center utilizing chart review of ED patients with moderate alcohol withdrawal between 2015 and 2020.
Source: The Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Pharmacology in Emergency Medicine Source Type: research