There are many reasons for a person who abuses alcohol to have an altered level of consciousness. Errors can occur if one jumps to a conclusion without considering alternative explanations.
Patient selection: alcohol abuse and altered mental status
Possible explanations include:
(1) intoxication with drugs or alcohol
(2) hepatic encephalopathy
(3) Wernicke encephalopathy/Korsakoff syndrome
(4) alcohol withdrawal
(5) central pontine myelinolysis
(6) hypoglycemia
(7) head trauma
(8) post-ictal confusion
(9) intracerebral infection
(10) hypophosphatemia
(11) poisoning
(12) brain tumor
(13) hypothyroidism
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