Which medication is used to manage agitation in alcohol withdrawal?

• A. Acetaminophen
• B. Ibuprofen
• C. Diazepam
• D. Phenytoin

Answer: (C)

In alcohol withdrawal, agitation is best managed with a medication that calms the central nervous system by counteracting the rebound hyperexcitability that follows stopping alcohol. Benzodiazepines do this by enhancing GABA, the brain’s main inhibitory system, which helps reduce agitation, anxiety, and the risk of seizures. Diazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine with active metabolites, so it provides sustained relief and makes it easier to control symptoms and prevent seizures as withdrawal progresses. This combination of rapid, reliable calming effect and a smoother taper makes diazepam the preferred choice for agitation in this situation. The other options don’t address the underlying withdrawal physiology: acetaminophen and ibuprofen treat pain or fever but not CNS hyperactivity; phenytoin is not reliably effective for preventing withdrawal seizures and is not a first-line choice for this purpose.