Medications for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

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Medicines can be used to help treat alcohol abuse and dependence. Some medicines reduce withdrawal symptoms during detoxification. Other medicines help you remain sober during lifelong recovery.

Medicines most often used to treat withdrawal symptoms during detoxification include:

Antianxiety medicines (such as diazepam), which treat withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens (DTs). Seizure medicines, to reduce or stop severe withdrawal symptoms during detoxification.

Medicines used to help keep you sober during recovery include:

• Disulfiram (Antabuse), which slows the pleasurable effects that alcohol produces and makes you nauseated when you drink.
• Naltrexone (ReVia), which interferes with the pleasure you get from drinking.
• Acamprosate (Campral), which can reduce your craving for alcohol. This medicine was recently approved to treat alcohol abuse and dependence.
• Topiramate (Topamax), which is a medicine used to treat seizures. One recent study shows that it might also help treat alcohol problems. Experts are still studying how this medicine, and medicines like it, might help with recovery from alcohol abuse and addiction.

Other medicines. Experts are testing other medicines to see if they might help people quit drinking. These include:

• Ondansetron (Zofran). Researchers are still studying this medicine to see if it is a safe and effective treatment for alcohol problems.
• Buspirone (BuSpar). This is an antianxiety drug that might help with alcohol problems. It has shown mixed results in studies.
• Nalmefene (Revex). This medicine is similar to naltrexone, and it has been tried as a treatment for alcohol problems. But recent research shows that it might not be effective.

Alcohol abuse can cause your body to become low in certain vitamins and minerals, especially thiamine (vitamin B1). You might need to take thiamine supplements to improve your nutrition during recovery. You also might need supplements to help replace fluids and electrolytes.

What to Think About

Antianxiety medicines are used during detoxification to help you safely withdraw from alcohol. Vitamins, particularly thiamine (vitamin B1), help prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which causes permanent brain damage from poor nutrition and long-term alcohol use.10

All other conditions that frequently occur with alcohol abuse and dependence (such as depression or peptic ulcer) need proper treatment to help in your recovery.

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Reviewed: 11/2005