Investigations
Patients presenting with AWS should be assessed using an A-E approach. It is important to ensure they do not have a serious underlying pathology which has precipitated them stopping or reducing their alcohol intake. Basic blood tests, ECG and appropriate imaging should be performed.
Pitfall
Alcohol intoxication is an independent risk factor for a positive CT result following minor head injury. 17 The more intoxicated the patient is the higher the likelihood of injury.18 Always consider occult head injury in patients presenting with confusion and agitation labelled as AWS.