Alcoholism, (Alcohol use disorder) is a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems, having to drink more to get the same effect, or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking.
Treatment for alcohol use disorder may include: Detox and withdrawal, Psychological counseling, Medical treatment for health conditions, Oral and Injected medications. Drugs like Disulfiram (Antabuse), Naltrexone (Revia) and Acamprosate (Campral) have been used in alcohol treatment programs.
Naltrexone is used along with counseling and social support to help people who have stopped drinking alcohol and using street drugs continue to avoid drinking or using drugs. It is in a class of medications called opiate antagonists. It works by decreasing the craving for alcohol and blocking the effects of opiate medications and opioid street drugs.
Mutations in genes that encode opioid receptors (such as A118G OPRM1) predict naltrexone-induced blunting of the effects of alcohol. These genetic markers may therefore identify a subgroup of individuals more likely to respond to naltrexone.1
Related to:
ReVia, Opioid antagonists