CONCLUSION
It may be concluded that the symptom-triggered regimen is more efficacious and cost effective than the fixed tapering dose regimen in managing AWS. The symptom-triggered regimen should be followed more widely for its advantages, especially in the established de-addiction centers with adequate resources for regular monitoring and managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms through the reliable scales like the CIWA-Ar. The benefits of the symptom-triggered regimen could be further extended to the general hospital units and emergency units admitting patients of alcohol dependence as it reduces the duration of detoxification, thereby reducing the duration of hospitalization that may prove helpful in managing the heavy inflow of the patients in the general hospitals. If practiced and implemented in most hospital settings, this might result in effective utilization of resources including drugs, manpower, hospital beds and time which would be more beneficial for resource sparse developing countries.