Is there any medicine to overcome the effects of alcohol?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am contacting you regarding an uncle of mine. He is 40 years old. His health issues are related to alcohol (beer). He drinks quite a few times a week. When he starts drinking, he drinks a few liters before stopping. He also smokes, but only sometimes. He finds heavy breathing after just minor physical activity.

In his medical history, he has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anemia, anxiety disorder, severe headaches, and sometimes constipation. He also had an ulcer earlier and was recommended Omeprazole. He found this medicine to be helpful for him in the beginning, but not anymore.

I know for a fact that it is best for him to quit drinking alcohol or at least reduce the amount of it. He has been advised of this several times. But he is addicted to it, and it is not easy for him to quit. My question is specifically related to alcohol.

Is there any medication he can take before or after the intake of alcohol that can be helpful for him in a kind of safe drinking way?

He takes Omeprazole but is not satisfied with the results.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Alcoholism is now acknowledged as a disease that requires combined treatment (medications, psychological, and social interventions).

Medications to increase the tolerance of the patient to alcohol, such as Lomazenil, are not very much recommended, as they tend to increase the patient's intake of alcohol and stop people from getting drunk. On the other hand, there are a number of medications that decrease the patient's tolerance to alcohol, leading to unpleasant side effects when taking alcohol, which forces the patient to stop drinking. These drugs include Antabuse (Disulfiram), but the problem with that drug is that the patient might decide to stop the Antabuse instead of stopping alcohol.

Another drug is Naltrexone, which decreases the pleasure that alcoholics receive when drinking and also decreases the craving for alcohol. It can be taken as a daily pill or as a once-a-month injection.

Another drug is Campari, which is taken by mouth three times daily. It acts by reducing the symptoms that an alcoholic may experience when not having a drink for long periods. These symptoms may lead to relapse, but their effect is doubtful.

Drugs are not enough to treat alcoholism, and they need to be combined with rehabilitation and social intervention. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and take the medicine with consent.

I hope it helps.

Thank you.