Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a chronic condition, the development and presentation of which is influenced by genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. As a disease process, it is often progressive, and sometimes fatal. Alcholism is typically characterized by impaired impulse control, preoccupation with alcohol, continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and a generalized distortion in thinking. While the condition itself is considered chronic, the symptom profile may present either continuously or periodically." [1]
Alcoholic styles
Chronic drinking
Maintenance drinking
Binge drinking
Blackout drinking
Recovery styles
The 'dry drunk'
In recovery
Post-recovery
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
References
- ↑ National Library of Medicine. Alcoholism. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2007. Lancet Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "pmidpending" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 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]
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.