Alcoholism

From Citizendium
Revision as of 18:49, 24 December 2007 by imported>Michael J. Formica
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is developing and not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

Alcoholism is defined as "a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. As a disease process, it is often progressive, and sometimes fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic." [1]

Treatment

Medications

Baclofen

Baclofen is a a selective GABA B-receptor agonist that in a single trial of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis improved abstinence rates (71% versus 29%) over three months.[2]

Disulfiram

A randomized controlled trial showed benefit from disulfiram [3]

Topiramate

A randomized controlled trial of volunteers showed benefit from topiramate.[2]

Naltrexone

Randomized controlled trials show conflicting benefit from naltrexone with benefit among recent abstainers[4] and no benefit from chronic users[5].

See also

Alchol (drug)

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Alcoholism. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2007. Lancet Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "pmidpending" defined multiple times with different content
  3. Fuller RK, Branchey L, Brightwell DR, et al (1986). "Disulfiram treatment of alcoholism. A Veterans Administration cooperative study". JAMA 256 (11): 1449–55. PMID 3528541[e]
  4. Anton RF, O'Malley SS, Ciraulo DA, et al (2006). "Combined pharmacotherapies and behavioral interventions for alcohol dependence: the COMBINE study: a randomized controlled trial". JAMA 295 (17): 2003–17. DOI:10.1001/jama.295.17.2003. PMID 16670409. Research Blogging.
  5. Krystal JH, Cramer JA, Krol WF, Kirk GF, Rosenheck RA (2001). "Naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence". N. Engl. J. Med. 345 (24): 1734–9. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa011127. PMID 11742047. Research Blogging.