This week we sit down with toxicologist Meghan Spyres to talk about Wernicke's Encephalopathy.


https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_115_0_Final_Cut.m4a



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Tags: Alcohol Abuse, Thiamine, Toxicology, Wernicke's Encephalopathy





Show Notes
Take Home Points

Consider the diagnosis in all patients with nutritional deficiencies, not just alcoholics.
Look for ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion in patients that have risk factors for thiamine deficiency.
Don't think that it can't be Wernicke's because the triad isn't complete; any two of the components (dietary deficiency, oculomotor abnormalities, cerebellar dysfunction or altered mental status) makes the diagnosis.
Treat Wernicke's with an initial dose of 500 mg of thiamine IV and admit for continued parenteral therapy.

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