| Download the amazing global Makindo app: Android | Apple | |
|---|---|
| MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational use only. Not for diagnosis or management. See below for full disclaimer. |
Acamprosate 💊
🍷➡️🚫 Acamprosate is used alongside counselling and social support to help people who have stopped drinking alcohol to maintain abstinence. It does not treat withdrawal symptoms but reduces the craving and pleasure associated with alcohol.
📖 About
Always check the BNF link here.
- 💊 Used for the maintenance of abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients.
- ✅ Best results when combined with psychosocial interventions.
⚡ Mechanism of Action
- 🎯 Modulates glutamatergic and GABA transmission in the CNS.
- ⬇️ Reduces the rewarding/pleasurable effects of alcohol.
- 🧠 Helps restore balance between excitatory and inhibitory pathways disrupted by chronic alcohol use.
🩺 Indication & Duration
- For maintenance of alcohol abstinence after detoxification.
- 👉 Start as soon as possible after alcohol cessation.
- 📆 May be continued for up to 12 months.
💊 Dose Range (verify with BNF/datasheet)
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Adults < 60 kg (Age 18–65) | 666 mg PO, TDS |
| Adults ≥ 60 kg (Age 18–65) | 666 mg at breakfast, then 333 mg midday, 333 mg at night (PO, TDS) |
⚠️ Interactions
- See BNF – relatively few significant interactions, but always consider polypharmacy in alcohol-dependent patients.
🚫 Contraindications
- Severe hepatic impairment.
- Severe renal impairment (risk of accumulation).
💥 Side Effects
- 🤢 GI upset: abdominal pain, diarrhoea.
- 🌡️ Rash, pruritus, urticaria.
- ⬇️ Libido changes, impotence.
- 😴 Insomnia.
- ⬇️/⬆️ Hypotension or hypertension (rare).
📑 References
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
|
|
Categories
- A Level
- About
- Acute Medicine
- Anaesthetics and Critical Care
- Anatomy
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Book
- Cardiology
- Collections
- CompSci
- Crib Sheets
- Dental
- Dermatology
- Differentials
- Drugs
- ENT
- Education
- Electrocardiogram
- Embryology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Ethics
- Foundation Doctors
- GCSE
- Gastroenterology
- General Practice
- Genetics
- Geriatric Medicine
- Guidelines
- Gynaecology
- Haematology
- Hepatology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Infographic
- Investigations
- Lists
- Mandatory Training
- Medical Students
- Microbiology
- Nephrology
- Neu
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Nutrition
- OSCE
- OSCEs
- Obstetrics
- Obstetrics Gynaecology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral Medicine and Dentistry
- Orthopaedics
- Paediatrics
- Palliative
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Procedures
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Radiology
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Resuscitation
- Revision
- Rheumatology
- Statistics and Research
- Stroke
- Surgery
- Toxicology
- Trauma and Orthopaedics
- USMLE
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery