New Medications may Help Alcoholics Kick the Habit

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have identified two new medications that may help heavy drinkers modify their consumption, reduce alcohol withdrawal

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have identified two new medications that may help heavy drinkers modify their consumption, reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and prevent relapse.

In the first study, MUSC researchers along with a team from the University of Virginia Health System have found that topiramate, an effective therapeutic medication, not only decreases heavy drinking, but also cuts risk factors associated with heavy drinking.

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Alcohol use disorder or alcoholism is an inability to control drinking. It can cause short term and long term physical, as well as psychological effects on the patient.

The medication effectively lowers all liver enzymes, plasma cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, thus reducing heart disease risk.

"These findings add growing data indicating that heavy drinkers who modify their drinking with the help of medication and supportive counseling may see an improvement in health and well-being, as well as a potential reduction of risk for the development of heart and liver diseases," said Raymond Anton, M.D., distinguished university professor.

"This shows that treatment of alcoholism has potential health benefits beyond the immediate behavioural and emotional improvement caused by a reduction in drinking," he added.

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In addition to decreasing liver enzymes and cholesterol levels, topiramate can also cut fatty liver disease risk, which leads to cirrhosis - a common consequence to end-stage liver disease leading to death in some alcoholics.

Topiramate significantly contributed to a decline in obsessive thoughts and compulsions, components of alcohol craving, and also had a greater improvement in their "overall quality of life,"