Antabuse: Drug Information

Generic name: Disulfiram

Brand Name: Diabuse, Disulfiram

Antabuse belongs to the family of drugs known as Aldehyde Dehydrogenase inhibitors and is also known as Disulfiram.This medicine is used in the treatment of selective chronic alcohol treatment in combination with therapy and self support.It must be noted that the medicine is not meant to be treated as a cure for alcoholism and fails to have the desired effect when used without any motivational therapy by the patient.

Antabuse works by inhibiting the metabolism of alcohol at the aldehyde level making it accumulate in the blood. This produces an extremely unpleasant syndrome when the patient consumes even small amounts of alcohol resulting in chest pain, respiratory problems, nausea, excessive sweating, flushing, blurred vision, convulsions, heart failure, confusion and even death. The intensity of these reactions is based on the amount of alcohol taken by the patient which can range from moderate, severe to fatal.

Indications and Dosage:

You must take the medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. Antabuse should not be ingested for at least 12 hours after consumption of any sort of liquor as it might result in adverse reactions.

Warning and Precautions:

Antabuse should not be given to patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, peripheral neuropathy (damage of nerves to peripheral nervous system) and psychosis.

Safety of the drug has not been established in pregnancy and lactation. Thus, you must tell your doctor if you are pregnant or lactating before taking Antabuse.

This drug is not recommended for patients who are under alcohol intoxication.

Tell your doctor if you have a history of diabetes, epilepsy, kidney disease, liver disease, cerebral damage, hypothyroidism or asthma. Special precautions are advised under these circumstances.

Close dose monitoring and caution is also advised when administering the medicine to the elderly.

Side effects:

Some of the most common side effects of Antabuse include drowsiness, lethargy, psychotic reactions, weakness, peripheral neuropathy, optic neuritis, skin rash, seizures, tremors, nausea, appetite changes, stomach ache, yellow eyes and dark urine.

Drug Interactions:

Antabuse may result in psychosis if co-administered with metronidazole.

Effects if disulfiram alcohol reaction is aggravated by tricyclic antidepressants.

Disulfiram enhances the effect of chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, phenytoin, isoniazid and anticoagulants.