_id

683a164ec782e11e38d1b331

id

10446

title

Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS)

full_title

Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS)

short_title

BAWS

med_description

Assesses alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

short_description

Assesses alcohol withdrawal.

slug

brief-alcohol-withdrawal-scale-baws

description

The Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS) assesses alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

keywords

Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS), baws, alcohol, alcohol withdrawal, withdrawal, drinking

complaint

[ "Agitation", "Anxious", "Depressed", "Fever", "Headache", "Intoxication/Overdose", "Loss of Appetite", "Nausea", "Seizure", "Vomiting" ]

formula

The BAWS Score is calculated by the addition of the selected points:

Variable Points
Tremor No tremor 0
Not visible, but can be felt 1
Moderate, with arms extended 2
At rest, without arms extended 3
Diaphoresis/sweats No sweats 0
Mild, barely visible 1
Beads of sweat 2
Drenching sweats 3
Agitation Alert and calm (RASS = 0) 0
Restless, anxious, apprehensive, movements not aggressive (RASS = 1) 1
Agitated, frequent non-purposeful movement (RASS = 2) 2
Very agitated or combative, violent (RASS = 3 or 4) 3
Confusion

e.g. time: by more than 2 days, wrong month, or wrong year

place: name of building, city, state		 Oriented to person, place, time 0
Disoriented to time or place, but not both 1
Disoriented to time and place 2
Disoriented to person 3
Hallucinations (visual, auditory, tactile) None 0
Mild (vague report, reality testing intact) 1
Moderate (more defined hallucinations) 2
Severe (obviously responding to internal stimuli, poor reality testing) 3

evidence

measurements

[]

information

BAWS <3: 

Give diazepam 5 mg orally as needed for mild withdrawal or anxiety.

  • Every 4 hrs up to 6 doses (day 1).
  • Every 6 hrs up to 4 doses (day 2).
  • Every 8 hrs up to 3 doses (day 3).

Reassess BAWS every 4 hrs for 24 hrs, then every 6 hrs.

BAWS 3-5:

Give diazepam 10 mg orally every 4 hrs until BAWS <3 (up to 10 doses).

Reassess BAWS every 4 hrs.

BAWS 6-8:

Give diazepam 20 mg orally every 2 hrs until BAWS <6 (up to 3 doses).

If the patient has not received any benzodiazepines, give an initial dose of 10 mg.

Reassess BAWS every 2 hrs; notify physician if BAWS >5 after 6hrs.

BAWS >8:

Give diazepam 20 mg orally and notify physician.

refrences

{ "Clinical Practice Guidelines": [], "Manufacturer Website": [], "Original/Primary Reference": [ { "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28699845/", "text": "Rastegar DA, Applewhite D, Alvanzo AAH, Welsh C, Niessen T, Chen ES. Development and implementation of an alcohol withdrawal protocol using a 5-item scale, the Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (Baws). Subst Abus. 2017;38(4):394-400." } ], "Other References": [], "Outcomes": [], "Validation": [ { "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32851920/", "text": "Rastegar DA, Jarrell AS, Chen ES. Implementation of a protocol using the 5-item brief alcohol withdrawal scale for treatment of severe alcohol withdrawal in intensive care units. J Intensive Care Med. 2021;36(11):1361-1365." }, { "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30741834/", "text": "Lindner BK, Gilmore VT, Kruer RM, et al. Evaluation of the brief alcohol withdrawal scale protocol at an academic medical center. J Addict Med. 2019;13(5):379-384." }, { "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32209957/", "text": "Rj E, M B, A N, et al. Psychometric properties of the revised clinical institute withdrawal alcohol assessment and the brief alcohol withdrawal scale in a psychiatric population. Journal of addiction medicine. 2020;14(6)." } ], "Validations": [] }

pearls

usecase

Do you use the Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS) and want to contribute your expertise? Join our contributor team!

reasons

next_advice

BAWS <3: 

Give diazepam 5 mg orally as needed for mild withdrawal or anxiety.

  • Every 4 hrs up to 6 doses (day 1).
  • Every 6 hrs up to 4 doses (day 2).
  • Every 8 hrs up to 3 doses (day 3).

Reassess BAWS every 4 hrs for 24 hrs, then every 6 hrs.

BAWS 3-5:

Give diazepam 10 mg orally every 4 hrs until BAWS <3 (up to 10 doses).

Reassess BAWS every 4 hrs.

BAWS 6-8:

Give diazepam 20 mg orally every 2 hrs until BAWS <6 (up to 3 doses).

If the patient has not received any benzodiazepines, give an initial dose of 10 mg.

Reassess BAWS every 2 hrs; notify physician if BAWS >5 after 6hrs.

BAWS >8:

Give diazepam 20 mg orally and notify physician.

next_actions

next_management

diseases

[ "Alcoholism", "Drug/Alcohol Use" ]

input_schema

{ "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Tremor</p>", "name": "tremor", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "No tremor", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Not visible, but can be felt", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Moderate, with arms extended", "value": 2 }, { "label": "At rest, without arms extended", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "", "type": "radio" }

{ "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Diaphoresis/sweats</p>", "name": "sweats", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "No sweats", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Mild, barely visible", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Beads of sweat", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Drenching sweats", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "", "type": "radio" }

{ "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Agitation</p>", "name": "agitation", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "Alert and calm (RASS = 0)", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Restless, anxious, apprehensive, movements not aggressive (RASS = 1)", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Agitated, frequent non-purposeful movement (RASS = 2)", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Very agitated or combative, violent (RASS = 3 or 4)", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "<calculator id='1872'>RASS</calculator>", "type": "radio" }

{ "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Confusion/orientation</p>", "name": "confusion", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "Oriented to person, place, time", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Disoriented to time or place, but not both", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Disoriented to time and place", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Disoriented to person", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "e.g. time: by more than 2 days, wrong month, or wrong year<br/>place: name of building, city, state", "type": "radio" }

{ "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Hallucinations</p>", "name": "hallucinations", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "None", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Mild (vague report, reality testing intact)", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Moderate (more defined hallucinations)", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Severe (obviously responding to internal stimuli, poor reality testing)", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "Visual, auditory, tactile", "type": "radio" }

[ { "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Tremor</p>", "name": "tremor", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "No tremor", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Not visible, but can be felt", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Moderate, with arms extended", "value": 2 }, { "label": "At rest, without arms extended", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "", "type": "radio" }, { "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Diaphoresis/sweats</p>", "name": "sweats", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "No sweats", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Mild, barely visible", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Beads of sweat", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Drenching sweats", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "", "type": "radio" }, { "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Agitation</p>", "name": "agitation", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "Alert and calm (RASS = 0)", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Restless, anxious, apprehensive, movements not aggressive (RASS = 1)", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Agitated, frequent non-purposeful movement (RASS = 2)", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Very agitated or combative, violent (RASS = 3 or 4)", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "<calculator id='1872'>RASS</calculator>", "type": "radio" }, { "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Confusion/orientation</p>", "name": "confusion", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "Oriented to person, place, time", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Disoriented to time or place, but not both", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Disoriented to time and place", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Disoriented to person", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "e.g. time: by more than 2 days, wrong month, or wrong year<br/>place: name of building, city, state", "type": "radio" }, { "conditionality": null, "default": 0, "label_en": "<p>Hallucinations</p>", "name": "hallucinations", "optional": false, "options": [ { "label": "None", "value": 0 }, { "label": "Mild (vague report, reality testing intact)", "value": 1 }, { "label": "Moderate (more defined hallucinations)", "value": 2 }, { "label": "Severe (obviously responding to internal stimuli, poor reality testing)", "value": 3 } ], "show_points": true, "tips_en": "Visual, auditory, tactile", "type": "radio" } ]

instructions

published

2022-12-09T18:12:20.403Z

purpose

[ "Treatment" ]

search_terms

[ "Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS)", "baws", "alcohol", "alcohol withdrawal", "withdrawal", "drinking" ]

seo

{ "keywords_en": "Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS), baws, alcohol, alcohol withdrawal, withdrawal, drinking", "meta_description_en": "The Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS) assesses alcohol withdrawal symptoms." }

specialty

[ "Anesthesiology", "Critical Care", "Emergency Medicine", "Family Practice", "Hepatology", "Internal Medicine", "Psychiatry" ]

departments

[ "Hepatic", "Neurologic", "Psychiatric" ]

tags

[]

version_number

1

versions

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related

[ { "calcId": 10525, "short_title_en": "BAM", "slug": "brief-addiction-monitor-bam" }, { "calcId": 10527, "short_title_en": "CRAFFT", "slug": "car-relax-alone-forget-friends-trouble-crafft-questionnaire" }, { "calcId": 10102, "short_title_en": "PAWSS", "slug": "prediction-alcohol-withdrawal-severity-scale" } ]

ismed

false

section

[ "whenToUseViewed", "nextStepsViewed", "evidenceViewed" ]

cleaned_departments

[ "gastroenterology", "neurology", "psychiatry" ]

cleaned_use

[ "Do you use the Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS) and want to contribute your expertise?Joinour contributor team!" ]

pub

false

<p>Tremor</p>
<p>Diaphoresis/sweats</p>
<p>Agitation</p>
<p>Confusion/orientation</p>
<p>Hallucinations</p>