Delirium from nicotine withdrawal in neuro-ICU patients.

Mayer, S A; Chong, J Y; Ridgway, E; Min, K C; Commichau, C; Bernardini, G L · Neurology · 2001

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

Five cases of presumed nicotine withdrawal delirium among brain-injured patients treated in a neurologic intensive care unit are presented. Each patient had a history of heavy tobacco use and experienced dramatic and sustained clinical improvement within hours of transdermal nicotine replacement. These preliminary observations suggest that nicotine withdrawal may be an under-recognized cause of delirium in patients with acute brain injury.

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