Thread by @hyderabaddoctor

Gender equality is good, however, in this situation, it is better that women lag men

1. 45-year old Vani was admitted with complaints of epileptic fits followed by disorientation and confusion. A small brain infarct (clot) was seen, which was presumed to be the cause of seizure.

2. She had no obvious risk factors for stroke, and moreover, the clot was located in cerebellar vermis, which usually does not cause convulsions. So, we needed to look for other causes for her epileptic fits. Vani had become conscious the next day, and history was reviewed.

3. Vani admitted to consuming alcohol on daily basis for more than a year, and had abruptly stopped consuming alcohol one day prior (as she was fasting for a religious festival).
Now, the cause of seizure was obvious- alcohol withdrawal syndrome (ADS).

4. She was treated with thiamine, benzodiazepine and other supportive measures. She recovered well and was discharged the next day. She accepted to undergo alcohol deaddiction treatment.

5. Alcohol consumption is an area, where there is a large "gender gap", with significantly more men consuming alcohol (compared to women). The amount of alcohol consumed & the prevalence of problematic drinking, both are more common in men. However, the gender gap is narrowing.

6. Alcohol is the leading cause of liver cirrhosis (about 50% of the cases), about 30% of cases of the oral cavity cancers and pharynx, about 22% of cases of esophageal cancer, about 15% of traffic injuries, and 12% of cases of tuberculosis (WHO).
#MedTwitter #alcohol #epilepsy

7. Consumption of alcohol is among the top ten risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases and injuries in India.
Alcohol adversely affects health of all who consume. Problematic drinking should be avoided by all, and it is better if women don't seek gender equality here.

Further reading
doi.org/10.1016/j.alco…