Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency

Lack of thiamine due to dietary deficiency, chronic alcoholism, malabsorption syndromes or bariatric surgery. Presents as dry beriberi (polyneuropathy), wet beriberi (high-output heart failure) and Wernicke-Korsakoff in acute neurological deficiency.

ICD-10 E511 drug

Also known as: Vitamin B1 deficiency, Beriberi

Drugs used for this condition

AThiamineFirst line · Water-soluble vitamin B1Thiamine is first-line therapy for confirmed B1 deficiency in patients with chronic alcoholism, after bariatric surgery, with malabsorption syndromes or prolonged inadequate nutrition. AEMPS registers Benerva 300 mg tablets and parenteral formulations. For dry and wet beriberi the dose is 100–300 mg/day orally for 1–2 weeks then maintenance 25–50 mg/day. WHO 2018 underlines: in at-risk patients with suspected deficiency, give thiamine BEFORE the first glucose infusion, otherwise the glucose load precipitates Wernicke encephalopathy.

How to read tiers A–F

Evidence tiers belong to the drug-indication pair, not to the drug as a whole: the same substance can be A for one condition and F for another.

AStrong evidence – first or second line in international guidelines
BRecommended in selected cases
CStudy data contradict each other
DBenefit not proven, no documented harm
FDocumented harm, or risk without benefit