Alcoholism - Highlights

Highlights

Drug Approval

In 2006, the FDA approved Vivitrol, a once-a-month injectable form of the anti-craving drug naltrexone. Naltrexone is also available as ReVia, a daily pill. Doctors hope that the monthly injection will provide an easier option for some patients.

Outpatient Treatment For Alcoholism

Alcoholism can successfully be treated in a doctor’s office, according to an important 2006 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The Combining Medications and Behavioral Interventions for Alcoholism (COMBINE) trial -- the largest study ever conducted on drug and behavioral treatments -- evaluated various alcoholism treatments in over 1,300 patients who had recently stopped drinking. Study results indicated:

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• A “medical management” approach, which involves regular brief office visits with a health care provider, is an important cornerstone for alcoholism treatment.
• Either naltrexone or behavioral therapy, combined with medical management, can help prevent relapse to heavy drinking.
• The anti-craving drug acamprosate (Campral) had no effect on drinking either when used alone or in combination with naltrexone.

Early-Age Drinking Increases Risk for Alcoholism

People who start drinking alcohol before the age of 14 are five times more likely to eventually become alcohol dependent than those who start drinking after age 21, according to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The survey of 43,000 adults also found that people who start drinking at a young age have an increased risk of developing alcoholism within 10 years. Experts call for more programs that will help adolescents delay drinking.

Quit Smoking When You Quit Drinking

Smoking hinders the brain’s ability to recover from alcoholism, suggests a 2006 study. In the study, patients who continued to smoke after stopping drinking had poorer brain function and brain cell health than those who quit smoking. About 80% of alcohol-dependent patients are chronic smokers.

Review Date: 12/03/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital