Treatments for Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.
According to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 14.1 million adults ages 18 and older or 5.6 percent of this age group had AUD in the US in 2019.
In the same year, about 414,000 adolescents ages 12–17 or 1.7 percent of this age group had AUD in the US.
Excessive alcohol use is responsible for more than 95,000 deaths in the United States each year. This is an equivalent of 261 deaths per day.
Worldwide, Alcohol consumption causes 3 million deaths each year.
There are 3 FDA approved medications for AUD treatment. They are naltrexone/Vivitrol, disulfiram (Antabuse), acamprosate (Campral). Combined with behavioral therapy and/or mutual support groups, these medications can help patients with alcohol use disorder achieve and maintain abstinence from drinking alcohol.
The following off label medications have also been used clinically for AUD treatment.
Baclofen
Gabapentin
Ondansetron
Topiramate
Varenicline