DryOutNow.com is a leading online provider of free medical information about alcoholism and drinking. This includes free medical information, research articles and news on alcohol and drinking related addictions to help inform professionals. The glossary style articles are one of a selection of news articles, academic research papers and information articles relating to addictive behaviour, and in particular to alcohol and drinking.

VIVITROL

What is Vivitrol?

Vivitrol is a brand name for the drug Naltrexone. Vivitrol is used in the treatment of alcoholism to reduced the cravings for alcohol and encourage abstinence.

What does Vivitrol do?

Vivitrol is an opiate receptor antagonist medicine. Vivitrol 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 cause the pleasurable experience induced by alcohol.

What is Vivitrol used for?

Vivitrol is used for a number of different purposes, including the treatment of heroin addiction or alcohol addiction.

How does Vivitrol help people with alcohol problems?

There are several theories indicating how Vivitrol works to help reduce alcohol consumption. Most agree that Vivitrol has the potential to reduce craving for alcohol. This effect of Vivitrol 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 Vivitrol work to reduce craving for alcohol?

Most of the research studies show that Vivitrol works just about as well as acamprosate in reducing craving for alcohol. Vivitrol might be expected to help one person in five achieve abstinence who would not otherwise have done so. Vivitrol may also reduce the amount drunk by people who do not manage to give up drinking completely.

Are there any side-effects caused by Vivitrol?

All medicines can cause side-effects and Vivitrol is no exception. Vivitrol can occasionally cause nausea, headache, constipation, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia, drowsiness, or anxiety. There also seems a theoretical possibility of Vivitrol causing liver damage in some cases.

Our professional advisors are available to you 12 hours daily, 7 days a week, to help you with expert, completely practical advice about drug addiction and alcoholism, free-of-charge. All appropriate forms of treatment can be arranged wherever you live. Telephone 0845 370 0203 now for advice in confidence.