Struggling with Alcoholism? Existing Drugs May Help

French researchers found that combining an allergy medicine and a blood pressure treatment may reduce severe alcoholism patients' daily alcohol intake.

The study, led by Henri-Jean Aubin of the Université Paris-Saclay in Villejuif, examines the effects of cyproheptadine and prazosin on alcohol use disorder.

Promising Results

Aubin's team found that cyproheptadine and prazosin target brain cell receptors connected to impulsive behavior and cravings, making them viable alcoholism treatments, as reported by US News & Word Report. Current drugs are only "limited-to-moderate" effective, therefore more therapeutic choices are needed.

The recent study included 154 people with severe alcoholism, defined as drinking 60 grams or 40 grams per day for men and 40 grams for women. Participants were given a placebo, "low dose" prazosin-cyproheptadine, and "high dose" combo. They got assistance and instruction on medication therapy and alcohol reduction during the 12-week trial.

The research focused on reducing alcohol consumption rather than abstinence. Results indicated that the two-drug regimen reduced alcohol intake more than placebo, with the higher dose group showing a greater drop. The high-dose prazosin/cyproheptadine combo reduced alcohol intake by 23.6 grams per day.

Those who consumed more alcohol were also tested with the combo. The high-dose combination reduced alcohol consumption by about 30 grams daily.

Researchers said the medications were "well tolerated." This study suggests that prazosin and cyproheptadine should be examined in phase 3 studies to enhance severe alcoholism therapy.

According to the CDC, alcohol abuse increases the risk of accidents, chronic illnesses such as liver and heart disease, malignancies, and poor pregnancy outcomes.

In this file photo taken on August 26, 2011 a man drinks beer in background of a glass of beer in a Moscow's outdoor pub.

US is Facing Drug Shortage Crisis

In light of the promising treatment using commond drugs against alcoholism, the US is facing the challenge of a severe drug shortage crisis. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHSP) and the University of Utah Drug Information Service report record-high shortages of essential drugs.

ASHSP and the University of Utah's first quarter 2024 medication shortage report shows a record 323 pharmaceuticals in short supply. Over 320 shortages occurred in 2014, Supply chain interruptions and client demand spikes caused these shortages, as earlier reported by TechTimes.

ASHSP CEO Paul Abramowitz urged the government to promptly address the matter as he worries about hospital budgets and staffing preventing these steps from being implemented.

He stressed the urgency of federal-level measures to address drug shortage causes to protect public health and assure access to important pharmaceuticals for all Americans.

In response, the US Department of Health and Human Services has recommended hospital-drug producer partnerships to increase market transparency and supply chains to avert medicine shortages.