Abstract
A 56-year-old woman is seen on a home visit with a 12 hour history of fever, shivering and confusion. She has a history of alcohol dependence, typically consuming half a bottle of gin per day. Her husband tells you that she has recently made several attempts to stop her alcohol intake completely as he has threatened to leave her if she continues to drink excessively. On examination, she appears confused and shaky. She has a temperature of 38.1 °C, a pulse rate of 120 beats per minute and a respiratory rate of 24 breaths per minute.
What is the SINGLE MOST likely cause of this patient's symptoms? Select ONE option only.
Acute pancreatitis Ascending cholangitis Delirium tremens Korsakoff's psychosis Wernicke's encephalopathy