A nurse is assessing a client who has alcohol use disorder and is experiencing withdrawal. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Introduction: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome results from neurohyperexcitability following the abrupt cessation of a central nervous system depressant, leading to profound autonomic hyperactivity and a lowered threshold for cortical discharges. A. Hypotension is not a typical finding in alcohol withdrawal. On the contrary, the nurse should expect hypertension as part of the autonomic rebound effect. As the sedating effects of alcohol wear off, the sympathetic nervous system becomes overactive, leading to increased heart rate and significantly elevated blood pressure readings. B. Rhinorrhea is a characteristic sign of opioid withdrawal, not alcohol withdrawal. While both involve significant distress, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are primarily neurological and cardiovascular, including tremors, diaphoresis, and tachycardia, rather than the lacrimation and nasal congestion commonly associated with the cessation of opioid or heroin use. C. Seizures are a severe and potentially life-threatening manifestation of alcohol withdrawal, usually occurring within 6 to 48 hours after the last drink. These are typically grand mal (tonic-clonic) seizures resulting from the sudden lack of GABAergic inhibition and the overstimulation of NMDA receptors in the brain's neuronal pathways. D. Hyperglycemia is not a standard expectation in alcohol withdrawal. Many clients with chronic alcohol use disorder are actually at risk for hypoglycemia due to impaired liver gluconeogenesis and poor nutritional intake. The focus of monitoring remains on vital signs and neurologic status rather than the elevation of blood glucose levels.