Long-Acting Naltrexone Effective in Alcohol Use Disorder

In clinical trials of people who took Vivitrol for opioid dependence, ALT increased in about 13% of the people. In comparison, ALT only increased in about 6% of people who took a placebo. In comparison, only 2% of people who took a placebo had an increase in AST. Sometimes the first sign of a liver problem is a higher level of liver enzymes (a type of protein).

This medicine may cause a serious type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine. Appropriate studies performed to date have not 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of naltrexone injection in the elderly. It works by blocking the effects of narcotics, especially the “high” feeling that makes you want to use them. It also may block the “high” feeling that may make you want to use alcohol. It will not produce any narcotic-like effects or cause mental or physical dependence.

Common questions about Vivitrol

Naltrexone can cause or worsen withdrawal symptoms in people who take narcotics. You must stop taking all narcotics 7 to 10 days before you start taking naltrexone. Indeed, in a study by Kiefer et al (2005), drinking outcomes appeared to be better for women than for men receiving oral naltrexone. Since Garbutt et al (2005) did not study pharmacokinetic data, a report comparing the kinetic profile of Vivitrex®/Vivitrol® between women and men would be required to exclude this possibility. In clinical trials, weight gain rarely occurred in people who took Vivitrol.

• Overall, Vivitrex®/Vivitrol® appears to be safe and well tolerated, with a milder adverse-event profile than oral naltrexone.
• In this study, 5% of people who took Vivitrol had a depressed mood or suicidal thoughts or actions.
• Taking Vivitrol via injection causes a month long release of the drug which will partially block the pleasure the patient can experience from drinking alcohol.
• Case 3 was a 35-year-old single, unemployed man who lived in a hostel for the homeless and who was admitted to hospital for alcohol and methadone detoxification.

The mean (SD) of heavy drinking days in the 30 days before randomization
was 20 (8) days. Overall, 53 (8.8%) of patients were abstinent in the 7 days
before receiving the first injection, and 270 (43%) of the patients had a
treatment goal of total abstinence. Pretreatment characteristics of the patients
in the 3 treatment groups were similar although women differed from men on
several measures, including being more likely to use antidepressant medication
and less likely to smoke (Table 1). Conclusions Long-acting naltrexone was well tolerated and resulted in reductions
in heavy drinking among treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent patients during
6 months of therapy.

How Does Vivitrol Work?

If you develop any serious withdrawal symptoms, they can help treat you. Researchers found that 36% of people who used Vivitrol didn’t use any opioids throughout a 24-week study. In comparison, 23% of people who took a placebo (no treatment) didn’t use any opioids throughout this time frame. Clinical trials showed that Vivitrol was effective in treating people with alcohol or opioid dependence. When you’re dependent, your brain can’t work like usual without the opioids or alcohol.