Delirium tremens: emergency help in Almaty

Reviewed byOlga Smirnova, MDAddiction psychiatrist, experience 27 years · updated 8 Nov 2026

Key facts

ICD-10 code

F10.4

Who provides care

A psychiatrist-addiction specialist (narcologist), plus an anesthesiologist-intensivist in severe cases

Where

Inpatient care only: an addiction treatment unit or a general hospital with an intensive care unit

Duration

The acute period usually lasts 3–5 days; recovery takes longer

Anonymity

Medical confidentiality; in a paid inpatient unit, no state registry

When it is urgent

Immediately with hallucinations, confusion, seizures or fever — 103 or 112

Outcome

Recovery from psychosis, prevention of complications, addiction treatment

What you should know

I usually learn about alcohol withdrawal delirium from a single phrase from relatives: “He’s talking to someone who isn’t there.” The call comes at night, most often on the third day after the person stopped drinking. He is not sleeping, he is pacing around the apartment, he sees insects and people outside the window, and he is frightened. In this situation, the dispatcher does not promise a quick visit with an IV drip but says right away: call 103 or 112, this condition is treated in hospital, and we will help if the ambulance is delayed.

Even when our team is the first to arrive — in the Turksib district or in the private-house neighborhoods of Talgar — the doctor’s job is not to “cure” the delirium at home. We assess breathing, pulse, temperature and blood sugar, ensure the safety of the person and those around them, give stabilizing medications if needed, and arrange hospitalization. Delirium can be complicated by seizures, heart rhythm disturbances and brain swelling, and round-the-clock monitoring is required.

Early Signs of Delirium Tremens

• insomnia and growing anxiety and restlessness 1–3 days after stopping drinking
• severe trembling of the hands and whole body, sweating, a rapid pulse
• the person does not understand where they are and confuses the time of day and people
• visual hallucinations: insects, animals, “people” in the room
• fear, a sense of being pursued, attempts to run away or hide
• raised body temperature, high blood pressure, a pounding heart
• a seizure before confusion sets in

If heavy drinking has lasted more than two or three days, or there is shaking, vomiting, blood-pressure spikes or insomnia, you need a doctor rather than stopping alone. Phone advice is free. For seizures, confusion or hallucinations call 103 or 112.

Why Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium Develops

Delirium is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. After many years of regular drinking, and especially after a long binge, the nervous system is thrown into a state of extreme overexcitement when alcohol is suddenly stopped. It usually starts 48–72 hours after the last drink, sometimes later. The risk is higher in people who have already had delirium or seizures, in older people, and with liver disease, infections or head injuries.

Delirium is often mistaken for “ordinary” drunkenness or a hangover, and time is lost as a result. The difference is that the person is sober, but their mind is confused, they see and hear things that are not there, and they cannot critically assess what is happening. Without treatment, delirium is life-threatening. That is why it is much more important to prevent it: with long binges and a history of delirium, alcohol detox is best done in an inpatient unit.

How we help

Myths and facts

How a home visit works

1. Call or message usThe dispatcher answers 24/7 and in 3–5 minutes checks the person's condition, age, how long the drinking or use has lasted, chronic conditions and the address. No surname needed.
2. The doctor sets offAn addiction doctor or psychiatrist comes with equipment and medication. Travel time depends on the district — usually within an hour. If inpatient care or an ambulance is needed, we'll say so straight away.
3. Examination and treatmentBlood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, blood sugar if needed and a neurological check. Then an IV drip or other treatment as indicated, 1–3 hours.
4. A plan for the next daysAdvice for the family on what to do overnight and tomorrow, phone follow-up and a repeat visit if needed.
5. Further treatmentCoding, psychotherapy, rehab or psychiatric follow-up — once the acute state has passed and the person is ready.

Prices in Almaty

The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.

Where to get help

In almaty you can get help at home, at one of our two branches (84 Zhandosova St., Almaty, 21 Seyfullina Ave., office 11, Almaty) or online if you need a consultation rather than a procedure. The dispatcher answers 24/7 and will tell you straight away which option is safest.

Confidential and private

in Almaty our doctor can come in ordinary clothes in an unmarked car. Treatment documents are given only to the patient. If you need a certificate or sick note, this is discussed separately and only at your request.

Questions and answers