Can Taking Naltrexone Make You Stop Drinking Alcohol?

 

Naltrexone  is a pure opioid antagonist and blocks opiate receptors in the body. It is approved for the treatment of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) or alcohol use disorder, as well as a physician-supervised behaviour modification program. It is NOT an opiate and does not cause euphoria or withdrawal symptoms when you stop it.

Naltrexone 50mg tablet is long-acting given as a single intramuscular injection or as an oral tablet usually taken once a day. It is approved for use by adults 18 years of age and older. Naltrexone binds to endorphin receptors in the body and blocks the effects and sensations of alcohol. 

Naltrexone reduces alcohol cravings and alcohol intake. After the patient stops taking it, taking naltrexone will help keep the patient awake. Nausea, headache, dizziness, anxiety, fatigue, and trouble sleeping may occur as side effects of naltrexone. In a small number of people, mild opioid withdrawal symptoms may occur, including abdominal cramps, restlessness, bone/joint pain, muscle aches, and runny nose. Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist approved for use in the treatment of alcoholism in conjunction with psychosocial interventions. 

Naltrexone is thought to work by blocking μopioid receptors, reducing the enhancing effects of alcohol, resulting in less intoxication and less cravings. In a systematic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, researchers found that naltrexone reduced short-term relapse rates in alcoholic patients when combined with other treatments. psychosocial treatment. Short-term outcomes in favour of naltrexone include fewer relapses, fewer relapses, reduced alcohol cravings, and fewer days of drinking. The data suggest that one patient treated with naltrexone avoided a relapse. More recent randomised controlled trials (RCTs) looking at long-term outcomes report mixed results.

In a systematic review of three studies evaluating medium-term outcomes (six to 12 months), researchers found no difference between the naltrexone and placebo groups. Furthermore, a large trial comparing the outcomes of three treatment groups - 12 months of naltrexone treatment, three months of naltrexone followed by nine months of placebo and 12 months of placebo - found no significant difference between the groups. on the number of days of recurrence. , the number of days to drink or the number of times to drink in a day. While there is solid evidence supporting the short-term benefits of naltrexone, the evidence for long-term use is less convincing. 

The recommended dose of naltrexone once daily. A contraindication to long-term opioid treatment for chronic pain or heroin addiction is naltrexone because it can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. 

Nodict (Naltrexone) has been shown to have dose-related liver toxicity, although this usually occurs at doses higher than those recommended for the treatment of alcoholism.

The drug is also contraindicated in patients with hepatitis or liver failure, and all patients should have their liver transaminase levels checked monthly for the first and third trimesters. Naltrexone is generally well tolerated; Nausea was the most common side effect, followed by headache, anxiety, and sedation. 

Naltrexone is FDA pregnancy category C. Good adherence is considered essential for successful treatment. Drinking alcohol increases endogenous opioid activity. By blocking the euphoria of alcohol, naltrexone may also reduce excessive alcohol consumption in people who drink alcohol. 

Oral naltrexone is rapidly and almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is metabolised almost exclusively by the liver to the major active metabolite, 6-β-naltrexol. Peak plasma concentrations of naltrexone are reached within one hour of administration. 

The long-acting properties of naltrexone are mainly due to 6-β-naltrexol, which has a half-life of 13 hours. Naltrexone achieves rapid therapeutic effect after initiation of oral administration.