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Alcohol Withdrawal: Treatment and Application

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Abstract

Severe alcohol withdrawal has a significant morbidity and mortality rate, especially with a pre-existing co-morbid state. Repeated alcohol withdrawal episodes may sensitize the patient, making future episodes more severe and harder to treat. Benzodiazepines have been found to be safe and effective in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. However, their abuse liability, their cross-tolerance with alcohol, and the increased risk of relapse to other drugs of abuse limit their use in outpatient settings. The authors discuss some of the neuropharmacological aspects of alcohol withdrawal and drug treatment options with a focus on anticonvulsant drugs. Medications such as sodium valproate, carbamazepine, gabapentin, and topiramate are discussed and their role in the clinical setting addressed. Finally, the authors discuss the potential utility of newer approaches in managing anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal, such as the use of neurosteroids.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Nassima Ait-Daoud

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

    Robert Malcolm

Authors
  1. Nassima Ait-Daoud
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  2. Robert Malcolm
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Correspondence to Nassima Ait-Daoud .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Depts Psychiat & Neurobehav Sciences, Me, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, Virginia, USA

    Bankole A. Johnson

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Ait-Daoud, N., Malcolm, R. (2010). Alcohol Withdrawal: Treatment and Application. In: Johnson, B. (eds) Addiction Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0338-9_48

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0338-9_48

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-0337-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-0338-9

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