Disulfiram treatment of alcoholism. 1992

J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
Department of Psychiatry, Edinburgh University, Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

To assess the efficacy of supervised disulfiram as an adjunct to out-patient treatment of alcoholics, a randomised, partially blind, six-month follow-up study was conducted in which 126 patients received 200 mg disulfiram or 100 mg vitamin C under the supervision of a nominated informant. In the opinion of the (blinded) independent assessor, patients on disulfiram increased average total abstinent days by 100 and patients on vitamin C by 69, thus enhancing by one-third this measure of treatment outcome. Mean weekly alcohol consumption was reduced by 162 units with disulfiram, compared with 105 units with vitamin C, and the disulfiram patients reduced their total six-month alcohol consumption by 2572 units compared with an average reduction of 1448 units in the vitamin C group. Serum gamma-GT showed a mean fall of 21 IU/I in patients on disulfiram but rose by a mean of 13 IU/I with vitamin C. Unwanted effects in the disulfiram group led to a dose reduction in seven patients and to treatment withdrawal in four (and in one vitamin C patient). Two-thirds of the disulfiram group asked to continue the treatment at the end of the study. There were no medically serious adverse reactions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D004221 Disulfiram A carbamate derivative used as an alcohol deterrent. It is a relatively nontoxic substance when administered alone, but markedly alters the intermediary metabolism of alcohol. When alcohol is ingested after administration of disulfiram, blood acetaldehyde concentrations are increased, followed by flushing, systemic vasodilation, respiratory difficulties, nausea, hypotension, and other symptoms (acetaldehyde syndrome). It acts by inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase. Tetraethylthiuram Disulfide,Alcophobin,Antabus,Antabuse,Anticol,Bis(diethylthiocarbamoyl) Disulfide,Dicupral,Esperal,Tetraethylthioperoxydicarbonic Diamide, ((H2N)C(S))2S2,Teturam,Disulfide, Tetraethylthiuram
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000437 Alcoholism A primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic. (Morse & Flavin for the Joint Commission of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine to Study the Definition and Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alcoholism: in JAMA 1992;268:1012-4) Alcohol Abuse,Alcoholic Intoxication, Chronic,Ethanol Abuse,Alcohol Addiction,Alcohol Dependence,Alcohol Use Disorder,Abuse, Alcohol,Abuse, Ethanol,Addiction, Alcohol,Alcohol Use Disorders,Chronic Alcoholic Intoxication,Dependence, Alcohol,Intoxication, Chronic Alcoholic,Use Disorders, Alcohol
D001205 Ascorbic Acid A six carbon compound related to glucose. It is found naturally in citrus fruits and many vegetables. Ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient in human diets, and necessary to maintain connective tissue and bone. Its biologically active form, vitamin C, functions as a reducing agent and coenzyme in several metabolic pathways. Vitamin C is considered an antioxidant. Vitamin C,Ascorbic Acid, Monosodium Salt,Ferrous Ascorbate,Hybrin,L-Ascorbic Acid,Magnesium Ascorbate,Magnesium Ascorbicum,Magnesium di-L-Ascorbate,Magnorbin,Sodium Ascorbate,Acid, Ascorbic,Acid, L-Ascorbic,Ascorbate, Ferrous,Ascorbate, Magnesium,Ascorbate, Sodium,L Ascorbic Acid,Magnesium di L Ascorbate,di-L-Ascorbate, Magnesium

Related Publications

J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
June 1990, The American journal of medicine,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
November 1955, La semaine des hopitaux : organe fonde par l'Association d'enseignement medical des hopitaux de Paris,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
December 1971, The Journal of nervous and mental disease,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
February 1985, Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
January 1995, Alcohol health and research world,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
February 1987, JAMA,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
April 1992, American family physician,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
August 1989, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
October 1991, The American journal of medicine,
J Chick, and K Gough, and W Falkowski, and P Kershaw, and B Hore, and B Mehta, and B Ritson, and R Ropner, and D Torley
January 1983, Journal of chronic diseases,
Copied contents to your clipboard!