Alcohol Use Disorder: The Role of Medication in Recovery

The misuse of alcohol in the United States continues to take a large toll on society, resulting in the deaths of about 88,000 Americans per year. Moreover, it is estimated that nearly 14.6 million Americans currently meet diagnostic criteria for current alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, very few...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Alcohol research 2021-01, Vol.41 (1), p.07-17
Main Authors: Mason, Barbara J, Heyser, Charles J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acamprosate
Alcohol Research
Alcohol use
Alcoholism
Alcoholism - drug therapy
Behavior modification
Clinical trials
Drug dosages
Drug therapy
FDA approval
Humans
Mental disorders
Mental health
Naltrexone
Narcotics
Pharmaceutical Preparations
Prescription drugs
Quality of Life
Recovery (Medical)
Substance abuse treatment
United States
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Summary:The misuse of alcohol in the United States continues to take a large toll on society, resulting in the deaths of about 88,000 Americans per year. Moreover, it is estimated that nearly 14.6 million Americans currently meet diagnostic criteria for current alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, very few individuals receive treatment, with an even smaller portion receiving medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of AUD, despite scientifically rigorous evidence showing the benefits of combining medication approved for treating AUD with evidence-based behavioral therapy. These benefits include higher rates of abstinence and less risk of relapse to heavy drinking, with associated improvements in medical and mental health and in quality of life. This review provides an overview of FDA-approved medications and "off-label" drugs for the treatment of AUD. The article emphasizes that AUD medical advice and prescription recommendations should come from professionals with training in the treatment of AUD and that treatment plans should consider medication in conjunction with evidence-based behavioral therapy. Finally, this review notes the limited number of medications available and the continued need for the development of new pharmacotherapies to optimize AUD recovery goals.
ISSN:2169-4796
2168-3492
2169-4796
DOI:10.35946/arcr.v41.1.07