The COMBINE study found that combining another alcohol-deterrent drug Campral (acamprosate) with the medical management program did not improve outcomes. Campral did not perform better than the placebo or dummy pill. This finding stumped researchers since previous studies performed in Europe using Campral had yielded positive treatment outcomes. For more than 20 years, acamprosate was widely used throughout Europe for treating people with alcohol use disorders. It was first marketed in the United States in January 2005 under the brand name Campral.

Among this group, 41% of patients who received VIVITROL did not drink any alcohol throughout the study compared to 17% of those who received placebo. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational sober house purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 3 July 2023), Cerner Multum™ (updated 10 July 2023), ASHP (updated 10 July 2023) and others. Tablets are sold under the brand names ReVia and Depade, and are generally taken once per day.

Researchers

Most people benefit from regular checkups with a treatment provider. Medications also can deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk of relapse (e.g., divorce, death of a family member). There are a number of treatments for people with alcohol use disorder, including therapy and medications. Three FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder are naltrexone, disulfiram, and acamprosate.

The more endorphins that are present in the brain, the better a person feels. This is why people sometimes resort to alcohol in order to relax and “let loose.” Unfortunately, relying on alcohol to bring happiness can lead to a dangerous cycle of alcohol addiction. Naltrexone is a prescribed medication that is commonly used for treating an alcohol use disorder (AUDs). While it is not a cure for alcoholism, this medication has proven to be extremely beneficial when used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Are There Really Medications To Stop Drinking Alcohol?

More than 14 million adults ages 18 and older have alcohol use disorder (AUD), and 1 in 10 children live in a home with a parent who has a drinking problem. Seek out friends, family members, and healthcare professionals who help you stay on your new path. If you have alcohol use disorder, medication may help you stop drinking while you take it. Keep in mind medication can’t help change your mindset or lifestyle, though, which are just as important during recovery as stopping drinking. If you use this form of naltrexone, a healthcare professional will inject the medication once a month.

They are led by health professionals and supported by studies showing they can be beneficial. Medicines are usually used with talk therapy and support groups to treat alcohol use disorder. The medicines are usually taken once people have stopped drinking to help keep them from starting to drink again.

Antabuse (Disulfiram)

Disulfiram should be started at least 12 hours after the last use of alcohol. The reaction to alcohol can occur up to 14 days after someone stops taking disulfiram. The main contraindication to taking acamprosate is severe kidney disease.

  • If you plan to reduce your drinking slowly (no more than 25% every 3 days), then it is quite possible to get off alcohol without medication.
  • Many people don’t know it, but there are medications that treat alcohol use disorder,  the term for the condition that you may know of as alcoholism and alcohol abuse.
  • Because it is metabolized by the liver, hepatotoxicity is possible, although uncommon.
  • Additionally, the authors noted that the spironolactone did not impair coordination or movement, nor did it affect their food and water intake.

This is not an uncommon concern, but the short answer is “no.” All medications approved for treating alcohol dependence are non-addictive. These medicines are designed to help manage a chronic disease, just as someone might take drugs to keep their asthma or diabetes in check. Three medications are currently approved in the United States to help people stop or reduce their drinking and prevent relapse. They are prescribed by a primary care physician or other health professional and may be used alone or in combination with counseling. A newer anti-seizure medication being investigated for alcohol treatment is ezogabine. Testing in animals suggests that it may reduce alcohol abuse by opening up channels in the brain that reduce the pleasurable effects of drinking alcohol.

A trial randomized 170 patients with alcohol dependence and depression to 14 weeks of cognitive behavior therapy plus sertraline (Zoloft; 200 mg per day), naltrexone (100 mg per day), both medications, or double placebo. Those taking a combination of sertraline and naltrexone had higher abstinence rates and a longer delay before relapse to heavy drinking compared with those taking placebo or either agent alone. Ondansetron (Zofran) may decrease alcohol consumption in patients with AUD. Importantly, individuals looking to discontinue alcohol use should consider seeking help from health care providers and counseling services, who have access to better, prescription medications for alcoholism treatment. These services can also assist in the process of alcohol detox and help with the development of coping skills to prevent setbacks. Additionally, depending on the severity of alcohol dependence, withdrawal from alcohol can have life-threatening side effects and should be completed under the supervision of medical staff in an alcohol rehab treatment facility.