Acamprosate for Alcohol Addiction Treatment 

Medications like acamprosate may be used in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).3 Acamprosate is sometimes prescribed as part of a comprehensive addiction treatment program alongside behavioral therapies and counseling.¹  Understanding what acamprosate is, how acamprosate works, and how it can benefit you during addiction treatment can be important for getting the most out of your rehab program.  

What Is Acamprosate? 

Acamprosate is a medication approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat people recovering from alcohol addiction by helping them maintain abstinence from continued drinking.¹ Approved in 1994, it was the third medication to be given support by the FDA to aid in the treatment of AUD.¹

Acamprosate is used to help balance alcohol-disrupted brain activity and lessen symptoms of extended alcohol-related withdrawal.^{1, 2} Acamprosate used to be prescribed under the brand name Campral, but the brand has been discontinued.  

Acamprosate for Alcohol Addiction 

Acamprosate may be used in the treatment of AUD as a medication for addiction treatment alongside behavioral therapies to help people in recovery from alcohol use disorder.² As an addiction treatment medication, acamprosate has a good safety profile, with no risk of developing tolerance nor dependence to the drug.¹ Studies have also found that acamprosate has no potential for compulsive misuse and a low risk of overdose on the medication itself.¹

Acamprosate is often preferred over other medications for addiction treatment as it does not metabolize in the liver and can therefore be used by patients with impaired liver function.¹ It also does not have any adverse interactions with medications regularly used in the detox process, so it can continue to be safely used if withdrawal management is needed in the future—after a relapse to drinking, for example.¹ No problems have been reported due to long-term acamprosate use.² 

Patients typically receive an evaluation from a medical provider, including certain lab tests, to determine whether acamprosate treatment is safe to begin.¹ Once treatment begins, acamprosate reaches full effectiveness within 5 to 8 days.¹ ​​Acamprosate treatment should not be stopped even if a patient feels better, nor need it be stopped if a relapse with alcohol occurs (though additional clinician follow up should take place).^{1, 2} 

How Effective Is Acamprosate for Addiction Treatment? 

Acamprosate is effective for alcohol use disorder treatment.^{1, 2, 3, 4} Several studies have shown that acamprosate increases the likelihood of continued abstinence, nearly doubling the duration compared with placebos.¹

Acamprosate also significantly reduces the risk of returning to alcohol use, even several months after treatment is discontinued.⁴  

Additionally, people who undergo treatment with acamprosate for alcohol use disorder are more likely to stay in treatment through completion and be compliant with their medications.³ They are less likely to return to heavy drinking when on acamprosate treatment.^{3, 5} 

Studies have also shown that acamprosate has higher efficacy in helping patients maintain abstinence than do some other medications used for alcohol addiction treatment.⁵

What Are the Side Effects of Acamprosate? 

While there are side effects of acamprosate, many of them tend to be mild and resolve quickly over the course of a few weeks of treatment.1 Potential side effects include:^{1, 6}

• Dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Changes in appetite.
• Intestinal cramping.
• Intestinal gas.
• Diarrhea.
• Skin itching.

How Acamprosate Works 

While the mechanism of action is not fully understood, evidence shows that acamprosate interacts with the glutamate neurotransmitter system to reduce or stabilize excitatory brain activity that develops in association with protracted alcohol withdrawal.¹ This process helps to reduce certain protracted, or postacute symptoms—such as insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness—that might otherwise lead to a return to drinking.¹

Acamprosate can be prescribed once a person reaches abstinence from alcohol.² It is available in an oral tablet and is usually taken three times daily with meals.² 

Alcohol Addiction Treatment in New England

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, there is help available. AdCare’s rehab centers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts offers acamprosate for alcohol addiction. AdCare also offers a wide variety of specialty programs and amenities and accommodations for its patients.  

If you’re ready to find help today, give us a call at . Our staff can help you verify your insurance coverage for addiction treatment, determine your rehab payment options, and help you start the rehab admissions process.