Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist widely used in the treatment of both alcoholism and opiate addiction. Naltrexone reduces cravings and compulsions to drink through a mechanism of action within the dopamine mesolimbic pathways of the brain, also stimulated by alcohol.
Naltrexone reduces the pleasure associated with drinking, and also reduces cravings to use and abuse. The medication is very well tolerated by the vast majority of recovering alcoholics, and most people will not experience serious side effects after the first few days, during which time the body is becoming accustomed to the drug.
Naltrexone needs to be taken exactly as directed, and no opiates, even codeine containing cough syrups, can be taken concurrently with naltrexone. Most patients will use naltrexone for the first few months of sobriety, during which time the cravings back to use are strongest.
Naltrexone now has a long clinical history of efficacious use and numerous studies have shown that naltrexone, when used as a part of a more comprehensive alcohol treatment program, does increase the success rates of sobriety and long term abstinence.
page last update Aug 05, 2010
