Punjab CHO - 2021
Mental Health Nursing
Easy
In which of the following conditions are Delirium Tremens primarily observed?
Appeared in: Punjab CHO - 2021
Explanation
- Delirium Tremens (DTs) is defined as the most severe form of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
- It is an acute and life-threatening condition that occurs after a sudden cessation or reduction in alcohol intake in a person with a history of prolonged, heavy use.
- Symptoms typically begin 48 to 96 hours after the last drink and include severe confusion, agitation, hallucinations, and autonomic hyperactivity (e.g., fever, tachycardia, hypertension).
- The other options describe precursors or related concepts, but DTs are a direct manifestation of the withdrawal process.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Alcohol tolerance is a physiological adaptation where a person needs more alcohol to feel the same effects. It is a risk factor for developing dependence but does not directly cause Delirium Tremens.
- Option B: Alcohol dependence is the underlying condition that creates the potential for withdrawal. However, Delirium Tremens occurs during the acute withdrawal phase, not during the period of active dependence itself.
- Option C: Alcohol abuse refers to a pattern of drinking that causes harm and negative consequences. It is a behavioral diagnosis, not the acute physiological syndrome in which Delirium Tremens appears.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain The relationship between Delirium Tremens and various alcohol-related conditions as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Recognizing that Delirium Tremens is a complication of alcohol withdrawal is critical for nurses, as it is a medical emergency with a mortality rate as high as 20% if untreated.
- Nurses use standardized tools like the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, Revised (CIWA-Ar) scale to systematically assess and manage withdrawal symptoms, allowing for early intervention before DTs develop.
- Key nursing interventions include ensuring patient safety (seizure and fall precautions), administering prescribed benzodiazepines (like diazepam or lorazepam) to manage symptoms, providing hydration, and correcting electrolyte imbalances.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core concept in the question stem: 'Delirium Tremens'. Recall or look up its definition.
- You should recognize that Delirium Tremens is a severe, acute syndrome.
- Next, evaluate each option in relation to this definition.
- Analyze 'Alcohol tolerance', 'Alcohol Dependence', and 'Alcohol Abuse'. These are chronic conditions or behavioral patterns related to long-term drinking.
- Analyze 'Alcohol Withdrawal'. This is an acute physiological process that occurs when drinking stops.
- Connect the acute nature of Delirium Tremens with the acute process of withdrawal. This link identifies 'Alcohol Withdrawal' as the condition in which DTs are observed.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: The relationship between Delirium Tremens and various alcohol-related conditions.
- Stem keywords: Delirium Tremens, condition, observed
- Lead-in keywords: In which
Question ID
Q54dB4e0Wd6feRM0oc9wj_
Reference Book
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 891-893
E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 3 p. 136-138
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 4229-4231
Practise the full Punjab CHO - 2021
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
More Psychiatric Emergencies Questions
- Priority action of patient agitation management?
- A patient has tried to commit suicide with drug overdose. Which of the situation depicts that the patient has high risk of suicide?
- Patient is taking haloperidol and at home Patient is not able to sit quietly, during the clinic visit Patient has the urge to walk. What is suffering…
- A client is admitted to the emergency room with symptoms of delirium tremens. After admitting the client to a private room, the priority nursing inte…
- A 38-year-old female client with a history of chronic schizophrenia, paranoid type, is currently an outpatient at the local mental health and mental…
- Which of the following would be a priority nursing intervention for a patient who has suicidal behaviour?
- Which of the following is the most lethal method of Suicide?
- During ward rounds, you find that a 24-year-old patient with mania is very abusive and aggressive; there is imminent danger of his becoming physicall…
- A patient says to a nurse, "Everyone would be better off if I wasn't alive." Which nursing diagnosis would be made based on this statement?
- A patient receiving haloperidol for schizophrenia reports an inner feeling of motor restlessness, stating, "I can't stop moving my legs, I feel like…
More Punjab CHO - 2021 Questions
- What does an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of 20-35 indicate?
- In which year was the Mission Indradhanush program launched?
- When was the National Programme for Control of Blindness launched?
- When was the Mid-Day Meal program launched?
- In which year was the LaQshya program launched?
- When was the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan launched?
- What is the antidote for PCM (Paracetamol) poisoning?
- What is the antidote for Benzodiazepine?
- What is the antidote for iron overload?
- In which of the following diseases are Negri Bodies observed?