Antabuse

Health and Nutrition > Medicines > A



How does it work?

This medicine contains the active ingredient disulfiram, which is a type of medicine called an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor. It is prescribed to recovering alcoholics to help them abstain from drinking alcohol. If someone taking this medicine drinks alcohol, it quickly causes a severe, unpleasant and potentially dangerous reaction and knowledge of this fact can help to stop people from drinking.

Disulfiram works by interfering with the way the body metabolises alcohol. Alcohol is broken down in the body to a compound called acetaldehyde. This is then normally broken down further by an enzyme in the liver called aldehyde dehydrogenase. Disulfiram stops this enzyme from working. This means that when alcohol is consumed, the body cannot process it normally. Instead, acetaldehyde accumulates in the bloodstream.

High levels of acetaldehyde act directly on the heart and blood vessels, causing flushing, a racing heartbeat and a drop in blood pressure that causes dizziness. Other unpleasant symptoms include headache, shortness of breath, palpitations, nausea and vomiting. This reaction to alcohol is often called the disulfiram reaction and is usually enough to deter people from having another drink.

The disulfiram-alcohol reaction occurs within ten minutes of ingesting alcohol and may last for several hours. It can be potentially dangerous. For some people, knowing that they cannot drink alcohol without having this reaction is what is needed to help them being tempted in a weak moment.

When starting this medicine you must not have drunk alcohol for at least 24 hours. You must not drink alcohol for one week after stopping the medicine, as the reaction may still occur in this time.

What is it used for?

- Alcoholism - to deter people with an alcohol problem from drinking

Warning!

- You must not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine, or for one week after stopping this medicine, as alcohol will cause the disulfiram reaction. Symptoms include flushing, a racing heartbeat, dizziness, headache, shortness of breath, palpitations, nausea and vomiting. The reaction can be potentially dangerous.
- Certain foods, liquid medicines, remedies, tonics, toiletries, perfumes and aerosol sprays may contain sufficient alcohol to cause a disulfiram-alcohol reaction. You should also take care with low alcohol and “non-alcohol” or “alcohol-free” beers and wines, as these can also provoke a reaction when consumed in sufficient quantities.
- If you get some of the symptoms of the disulfiram reaction, either from drinking alcohol, or from exposure to a certain amount of alcohol from sources such as those listed above, you should contact your doctor.

Use with caution in