Medication for Alcohol Use Disorder

Medication is often an effective tool in treating alcohol use disorders, yet it remains an underutilized treatment method.

Study Findings:

• A study conducted in 2006 tracked over 1,300 participants for three years to determine the optimal combination of treatment, medication, and counseling for alcohol use disorders.
• The results revealed that no single treatment approach was universally effective, but all groups studied significantly reduced their drinking during treatment.
• Surprisingly, one of the newer medications for alcoholism failed to improve treatment outcomes on its own.
• Adding either Revia or Vivitrol (naltrexone) or specialized alcohol counseling to medical management nearly doubled the chances of a positive outcome.

Commonly Used Medications:

1. Antabuse (Disulfiram):

2. Induces a severe adverse reaction when someone taking it consumes alcohol, causing vomiting.

3. This reaction acts as a deterrent to drinking.

4. Approved by the FDA in 1948 for treating alcoholism.

5. Naltrexone:

6. Blocks the "high" associated with alcohol consumption or opioid use.

7. Initially developed in 1963 for opioid addiction, it was approved by the FDA in 1984 for treating heroin, morphine, and oxycodone use.

8. Approved for treating alcohol use disorders in 1994.

9. Campral (Acamprosate):

10. Normalizes alcohol-related brain changes, reducing the physical and emotional discomfort that can lead to relapse.

11. Developed in 1982, it was approved for use in the U.S. in 2004.

The Sinclair Method:

• Developed by David Sinclair, PhD, in Finland, this method involves taking Revia or Vivitrol only before drinking and not otherwise.
• It is theorized that the medication blocks the release of feel-good endorphins associated with alcohol consumption, leading to reduced drinking or abstinence.
• Despite showing an 80% cure rate for alcohol dependence, the Sinclair Method has not gained popularity in the U.S. due to its conflict with common abstinence-based treatment plans.