Alcohol Use and Older Adults
Frequently Asked Questions
20. What medicines are available to treat people with alcohol dependence?
Prescription medicines can help people with alcohol dependence reduce their drinking, avoid going back to heavy drinking, and get sober. None of them works in every person. Naltrexone (Depade®, ReVia®, Vivitrol®) acts in the brain to reduce craving for alcohol. Acamprosate (Campral®) helps manage withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, nausea, and sweating that may lead to a drinking relapse. Another medicine, disulfiram (Antabuse®), makes a person feel sick after drinking alcohol.
