Alcohol withdrawal – the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar)

For those dealing with alcohol withdrawal in Kenya…the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar) objectifies alcohol withdrawal symptoms to help guide therapy;

  • patients should be scored every 2 hours;
  • frequently treatment begins with benzodiazepines when CIWA-Ar scores reach 8-10, with standing or as needed dosing for scores 10-20
  • consider transfer to the ICU for scores >20.