title: A combination of carbamazepine/tiapride in outpatient alcohol detoxification. Results from an open clinical study.
abstract: This was an open, prospective study to examine the efficacy, practicability and medical safety of a combination of carbamazepine and tiapride in outpatient detoxification of alcohol-dependent patients. Patients were carefully screened for relevant neuropsychiatric disorders and then seen on a daily outpatient basis. Patients received medication if the initial CIWA-A score exceeded 16 points. Fifty consecutively admitted patients entered the program; 49 (98 %) successfully ended treatment. The mean initial dose for carbamazepine was 628 mg or 332 mg for tiapride. No serious medical complications or adverse events were observed. In general, medication was well tolerated. Withdrawal symptomatology as indicated by CIWA-A scores clearly decreased over time. Most frequently named side effects were sedation (63 %), hyperhidrosis (49 %), lack of drive (38 %), dry mouth (31 %) and orthostatic dysregulation or vertigo (22 %). Results from this study suggest that a combination of the anticonvulsant carbamazepine and tiapride is an effective and safe treatment for outpatient alcohol detoxification in patients with moderate severity of withdrawal syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Hospital, University of Munich, Nussbaumstr 7, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soyka
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morhart-Klute
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D013976:Tiapamil Hydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000431:Ethanol; D013976:Tiapamil Hydrochloride