Use
Thiamine chloride, as the base or as the hydrochloride salt, is indicatedin the treatment or prophylaxis of known or suspected thiaminedeficiencies. Severe thiamine deficiency is calledberiberi, which is very rare in developed countries. The mostlikely cause of thiamine deficiency in the United States is theresult of chronic alcoholism, which leads to multiple vitamindeficiencies as a result of poor dietary intake. The major organsaffected are the nervous system (dry beriberi), whichmanifests as neurological damage, the cardiovascular system(wet beriberi), which manifests as heart failure and edema, andthe gastrointestinal tract. Thiamine administration reverses thegastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and neurological symptoms;however, if the deficiency has been severe or of prolonged duration, the neurological damage may be permanent.