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DrugScreening.org


 
Medication Key to Alcoholism Treatment Success, Study Suggests
June 30, 2008

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Research Summary

Alcohol-dependent individuals who consistently took prescribed medications to prevent withdrawal symptoms and craving had better treatment outcomes than those who didn't take their medication, even among patients receiving behavioral counseling, researchers say.

HealthDay News reported June 20 that data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Combine study found that those patients who adhered to the medication regimen for naltrexone or acamprosate as well as taking part in medical-management (MM) or combined behavioral intervention (CBI) programs had more abstinent days and avoided heavy drinking more successfully than those who didn't take their prescribed drugs as ordered.

"High medication adherents fared better than low medication adherents across all combinations of behavioral and pharmacological treatment conditions," said researcher Allen Zweben of Columbia University.

The researchers also reported that CBI seemed to help even patients who took a placebo, but did not appear to affect relapse rates among naltrexone patients who didn't take their medications.

"Both of these behavioral treatments (CBI and MM) performed equally as well with regard to treatment adherence and medication adherence rates," Zweben said, adding that the low-intensity MM combined with naltrexone could be used to help a large percentage of patients with alcohol dependency.

The study was published online in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research and will appear in the September 2008 print issue.
This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Anonymous on 14 Aug 08 09:17 AM EDT
I am a licensed psychologist and also the good friend of a severe alcoholic; until there is a good cure for this disease we MUST be open to any and all treatments that may help to any extent possible. My motto when treating my patients is I dont care if they get better because they win the lottery or because of my assistance- as long as they get better, its success. Dr. Maria Horton

Posted by Bobbe L. on 07 Jul 08 05:00 PM EDT
The DSM now characterizes Alcoholism as a neurological disease. While these meds are very valuable, the missing link for most alcoholics/drug addicts is connectedness. That's why 12 step groups are so helpful.

Posted by Matt Rizzo on 07 Jul 08 10:02 AM EDT
Interesting read...hoping the full article touches on Addiction Pharmacology with youths...would love to see some research in this area.

Posted by Jim O'Brien on 07 Jul 08 09:17 AM EDT
"High medication adherents fared better than low medication adherents across all combinations of behavioral and pharmacological treatment conditions," said researcher Allen Zweben of Columbia University. This is not news. Medication compliant patients always have better outcomes than non-complaint patients, in any disease.

Posted by Anonymous on 01 Jul 08 05:10 PM EDT
I am pleased to hear the conversations about the use of medications as part of treatment options being made available. Too often therapist have declared medication use as simply a crutch and refuse to make the option available to clients. Do the assessment, and if this option apperas to be the best option for this client, give it a try. Review the treatment, and if it doesn't work as well as first thought, change it. I hope we don't get too far out on the fringe, in either direction - While it appears to be promising, I don't see this as "the" treatment. On the other hand, I would hate to see this promise dismissed as a mere crutch." Webster

Posted by ODAT on 01 Jul 08 02:52 AM EDT
Well, as my sponsor said, "I am in favor of anything or anyone that helps an alcoholic". In my own case I am sure that I would have gotten sober sooner with the help of medication, given difficulty that I had in working through post acute withdrawal. I actually had blackouts one year after I quit drinking, and other very severe problems. This was in the early 80's. Today I am as normal as dirt and the only thing that I do differently is that I don't drink. One other thought on this is that I have worked for several years in treatment centers, and it seems that the one's who come back in with the most severe pathology are the one's who are taking prescription medications at the time of their relapse. This is of course an across the board statement, with no study having been done, only my own observations. I wish someone would do a study to determine if medication actually does make relapse more severe, or if it is simply that the people taking the medication are more ill to begin with.

Posted by Sarah on 30 Jun 08 09:42 PM EDT
Fred, you are correct in saying motivation is the key, but this study is just saying the option of medications have shown some success, not the answer. And congratulations on being clean and sober. That is a huge success.

Posted by Fred Shaughnessy, CADC II on 30 Jun 08 09:27 PM EDT
Most alcoholics and drug addicts, if motivated to quit, will be successful with any number of differing treatments. Over the years, millions of individuals, including me, have become clean and/or sober without medication. Another bunch have needed medication to treat withdrawal symptoms. A lot depends on how hard and long the abuse went on. Give these study participants another year or two before claiming that medication is the answer.

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