Campral

The FDA recently approved the drug Campral (acamprosate), for treating alcohol dependent individuals seeking to continue to remain alcohol-free after they have stopped drinking. Campral may not be effective in patients who are actively drinking at the start of treatment, or in patients who abuse other substances in addition to alcohol. Campral is the first new drug approved for alcohol abuse in a decade. Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is a disease. The consequences of alcohol misuse are serious and in many cases, life threatening.

Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box). Heavy drinking can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain damage, and harm to the fetus during pregnancy. Chronic alcoholism continues to be a widespread and debilitating disorder that places a tremendous burden on society in terms of healthcare costs, lost wages and personal suffering.

Campral is used to help patients with alcoholism stay alcohol-free after they have stopped drinking. Treatment with Campral should be part of a program that includes counseling and support. Campral has not shown to help patients who are still drinking at the start of treatment. Campral has not been studied in patients who abuse other substances in addition to alcohol.

This new medication marks an exciting new era in treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence. This is partly because of the high efficacy of Acamprosate calcium, partly because of its lack of side effects on the liver. Acamprosate calcium is not metabolized (broken down to be removed from the body) by the liver, and can therefore be used in some patients with liver disease. This medication will be safe to use in those patients with whom we have been hesitant to use prescription drugs in the past due to cirrhosis or hepatitis. In clinical studies, side effects were mild, most commonly reported was diarrhea. Due to its ability to be used in the liver-damaged patient and its high success rate overseas, Acamprosate calcium is one of the most promising new addiction medication on the market.

Tremendous strides have been made in the field of substance abuse pharmacology; however, this is the first new medication for alcohol dependence in a decade since Revia®. The Addiction Medicine Unit at OASAS is optimistic that Acamprosate calcium will improve the length of successful treatment for patients in our system being treated for alcohol dependency.