By Dr Vasilios Silivistris
Alcohol withdrawal differs from withdrawal from most other drugs because it can be fatal. The only drugs as likely to cause death from withdrawal are benzodiazepines. Heroin withdrawal rarely, if ever, results in death.
However, untreated major alcohol withdrawal can be fatal in one in three cases. Fortunately, these deaths are almost entirely preventable when individuals are properly tapered off alcohol.
Three levels of alcohol withdrawal
