CIWA protocol
Pronunciation: SEE-wah
Also written as: CIWA — Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol
Standardized assessment tool used to monitor and manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms in hospitalized patients.
Full Definition
The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) is a validated 10-item scale used to assess the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms including tremor, anxiety, agitation, sweating, and hallucinations. Scores guide medication administration, with higher scores indicating more severe withdrawal requiring increased intervention. The protocol is administered at regular intervals, typically every 4-8 hours initially, with frequency adjusted based on symptom severity and clinical response.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalize CIWA; may be written as CIWA-Ar when referring to the revised version.
In Context
- "The patient's CIWA protocol scores decreased from 15 to 8 after medication administration." — nursing notes
- "Initiate CIWA protocol for all patients admitted with history of alcohol use disorder." — clinical guideline