Nalmefene: a new approach to the treatment of alcohol dependence

Reduction of alcohol consumption is not yet a widely accepted treatment objective for alcohol-dependent patients, as abstinence is often considered to be the only possible objective in this situation. However, various studies have demonstrated the value of proposing these two options to such patient...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Substance abuse and rehabilitation 2014-01, Vol.5 (default), p.87-94
Main Authors: Paille, François, Martini, Hervé
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictions
Addictive behaviors
Alcohol use
Alcoholism
Analysis
Animal cognition
Behavior modification
Clinical outcomes
Dopamine
Drinking (Alcoholic beverages)
Drug therapy
Health aspects
Patients
Review
Substance abuse treatment
Systematic review
Trajectories (Physics)
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Summary:Reduction of alcohol consumption is not yet a widely accepted treatment objective for alcohol-dependent patients, as abstinence is often considered to be the only possible objective in this situation. However, various studies have demonstrated the value of proposing these two options to such patients. Firstly, reduction of alcohol consumption very significantly reduces the risk of alcohol-related damage, and also modifies the patient's and the doctor's perception of the disease, resulting in improved access to care and better patient adherence with the proposed treatment objective and consequently better clinical results. Recent studies have shown that some medicinal products can help patients reduce their alcohol consumption. One such product, nalmefene, has been granted European marketing authorization and is now being released onto the market in various countries. The ESENSE 1 and 2 studies in alcohol-dependent patients showed that, in combination with BRENDA, a psychosocial intervention focusing on reinforcement of motivation and treatment adherence, nalmefene significantly reduced the number of heavy drinking days and mean daily total alcohol consumption versus placebo. This reduction was more marked in the marketing authorization target population, ie, patients with a high or very high drinking risk level according to World Health Organization criteria. Another original feature of this molecule is that it can be used as needed if the patient perceives a risk of drinking, which is a more flexible approach and more likely to ensure the patient's active involvement in the treatment of his/her disease. This molecule opens up interesting and original therapeutic prospects in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
ISSN:1179-8467
1179-8467
DOI:10.2147/SAR.S45666