Alcohol
Volume 20, Issue 3 , Pages 223-225, April 2000

Safety and tolerability of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in the treatment of alcohol-dependent patients

Clinical and Pharmacological Research Unit “Piertomaso Tessitore” and Pharmaco-surveillance Department , Laboratorio Farmaceutico C.T., Via Dante Alighieri 71, 18038 Sanremo, Italy

Received 4 May 1998; received in revised form 9 October 1998; accepted 22 October 1998.

Abstract 

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) has been in clinical use in Italy since 1991 for treatment of alcohol dependence. Results of phase III and phase IV studies have shown that the drug is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome and in reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol craving. Pharmacosurveillance indicates that abuse of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid is a limited phenomenon in clinical settings when the drug is dispensed under strict medical surveillance and entrusted to a referring familiar member of the patient.

Keywords:  Abuse potential, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid

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PII: S0741-8329(99)00085-3

Alcohol
Volume 20, Issue 3 , Pages 223-225, April 2000

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