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Alcohol Information: Naltrexone
What is naltrexone?
Naltrexone is an opiate receptor antagonist medicine. In more simple terms this means that naltrexone blocks the effect of natural brain opiate-like chemicals. These natural opiate chemicals have a large number of normal functions in the brain including effects on the brain neurons which pleasurable experience induced by alcohol.
What is naltrexone used for?
Naltrexone is used for a number of different purposes, including the treatment of heroin addiction. However, in this context we are concerned with then use of naltrexone to help people with alcohol problems.
How does naltrexone work to help people with alcohol problems?
There are several theories indicating how naltrexone works to help reduce alcohol consumption. Most agree that naltrexone has the potential to reduce craving for alcohol. This effect of naltrexone is probably mediated by its ability to block the enhancing effect of natural brain opiates on the neurons that transmit pleasure messages when alcohol is used.
How well does naltrexone work to reduce craving for alcohol?
Most of the research studies show that naltrexone works just about as well as acamprosate in reducing craving for alcohol. Naltrexone might be expected to help one person in five achieve abstinence who would not otherwise have done so. Naltrexone may also reduce the amount drunk by people who do not manage to give up drinking completely.
Are there any side-effects caused by naltrexone?
All medicines can cause side-effects and naltrexone is no exception. Naltrexone can occasionally cause nausea, headache, constipation, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia, drowsiness, or anxiety. There also seems a theoretical possibility of naltrexone causing liver damage in some cases.
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