Beriberi Info

Treatment:  

Administration of thiamine can reverse the deficiency, and symptoms should improve rapidly. However, with severe deficiency, some symptoms may be irreversible. Patients should also receive therapeutic doses of other water-soluble vitamins.

 Expectations (prognosis):

Cardiac damage is usually reversible and is not permanent. Full recovery is expected after treatment. Untreated, beriberi is often fatal.

If acute heart failure has already occurred, the outlook is poor.

Nervous system damage is also reversible, if caught early. If not, some symptoms (such as memory loss) may not be completely recovered with treatment.

Complications:

• Psychosis

• Coma

• Congestive heart failure

• Death