Acamprosate

Acamprosate, sold under the brand name Campral, is a medication used along with counselling to treat alcohol dependence. Acamprosate, sold under the brand name Campral, is a medication used along with counselling to treat alcohol dependence. Acamprosate is thought to stabilize chemical signaling in the brain that would otherwise be disrupted by alcohol withdrawal. When used alone, acamprosate is not an effective therapy for alcoholism in most individuals; studies have found that acamprosate works best when used in combination with psychosocial support since it facilitates a reduction in alcohol consumption as well as full abstinence. Serious side effects include allergic reactions, abnormal heart rhythms, and low or high blood pressure, while less serious side effects include headaches, insomnia, and impotence. Diarrhea is the most common side-effect. Acamprosate should not be taken by people with kidney problems or allergies to the drug. Until it became a generic in the United States, Campral was manufactured and marketed in the United States by Forest Laboratories, while Merck KGaA markets it outside the US. Acamprosate is useful when used along with counseling in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Over three to twelve months it increases the number of people who do not drink at all and the number of days without alcohol. It appears to work as well as naltrexone. Acamprosate is primarily removed by the kidneys and should not be given to people with severely impaired kidneys (creatinine clearance less than 30 mL/min). A dose reduction is suggested in those with moderately impaired kidneys (creatinine clearance between 30 mL/min and 50 mL/min). It is also contraindicated in those who have a strong allergic reaction to acamprosate calcium or any of its components. The US label carries warnings about increased of suicidal behavior, major depressive disorder, and kidney failure. Adverse effects that caused people to stop taking the drug in clinical trials included diarrhea, nausea, depression, and anxiety. Other frequent adverse effects include headache, stomach pain, back pain, muscle pain, joint pain, chest pain, infections, flu-like symptoms, chills, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, fainting, vomiting, upset stomach, constipation, increased appetite, weight gain, edema, sleepiness, decreased sex drive, impotence, forgetfulness, abnormal thinking, abnormal vision, distorted sense of taste, tremors, runny nose, coughing, difficulty breathing, sore throat, bronchitis, and rashes.