Loading...
Gabapentin might modestly reduce or stop drinking (NEJM JW Psychiatry Jul 2019 and Addiction 2019; 114:1547), promote sleep, and reduce alcohol withdrawal. Therefore, it might work better for relapse prevention in people with a history of alcohol withdrawal (AW) symptoms, which are seen in 30% to 50% of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). To learn more, researchers conducted a placebo-controlled, randomized study of gabapentin (titrated by day 5 to 1200 mg daily: morning, 300 mg; noon, 300 mg; bedtime, 600 mg) for 16 weeks. The 96 individuals had AUD and recent AW symptoms, but no history of AW seizures or current significant withdrawal, and were abstinent for ≥3 days before randomization.
Among the 90 participants with evaluable da…