The only study available on disulfiram showed reduced REM sleep .
Acamprosate showed no/little effect on self-reported sleep but improved sleep continuity and architecture measured by polysomnography .
The two opioidergic drugs naltrexone and nalmefene had mainly detrimental effect on sleep , giving increased insomnia and /or somnolence compared with placebo , although not always significant .
The meta- analysis confirmed significantly increased somnolence and insomnia in the naltrexone group , compared with the placebo .
Overall , the currently available evidence s show more sleep problems with the opioidergic drugs ( especially naltrexone ) , while acamprosate seems to be well tolerated or even beneficial .
Acamprosate might be a more suitable choice when patients with AUD report sleep problems .
Background : Sleep disorders are commonly associated with acute and chronic use of alcohol and with abstinence .
To date , there are four approved drugs to treat alcohol use disorder ( AUD ) : disulfiram , acamprosate , naltrexone , and nalmefene .
These AUD therapies reduce the craving and risk of relapse into heavy drinking , but little is known about their effect on sleep .
As recent evidence s indicate a crucial role of sleep disorders in AUD , cl aim ing that sleep problems may trigger alcohol abuse and relapses , it is fundamental to clarify the impact of those drugs on the sleep quality of AUD patients .
This systematic review aims to answer the question : how does the pharmacotherapy for AUD affect sleep ?
A pilot evaluation of the safety and tolerability of repeat dose administration of long-acting injectable naltrexone (Vivitrex) in patients with alcohol dependence.
BACKGROUND : Oral naltrexone is currently used as part of a treatment regimen for alcohol-dependent patients , but its clinical utility is hampered by poor patient adherence . A long-acting injectable naltrexone formulation ( Vivitrex ) was design ed to facilitate patient adherence by providing an extended duration of therapeutic naltrexone over 1 month , thereby eliminating the need for daily dosing . METHODS : A multicenter , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intramuscular repeat dose administration of this extended-release naltrexone formulation in DSM-IV alcohol-dependent patients . Thirty patients were r and omized to treatment with injectable naltrexone ( 400 mg ; n = 25 ) or a matching placebo injection ( n = 5 ) and were dosed once every 28 days over 4 months . Psychosocial treatment was offered to patients in both treatment groups . Outcome measures related to drinking activity and trough plasma concentrations of naltrexone and its primary metabolite , 6-beta-naltrexol , were evaluated . RESULTS : Injectable naltrexone was generally safe and well tolerated . Reported adverse events were mild to moderate and resolved without intervention ; only two patients discontinued due to adverse events . The most common adverse events ( nausea and headache ) occurred at a similar rate for patients in both treatment groups . Pharmacokinetic analysis confirmed that therapeutic levels of naltrexone were delivered throughout the four 1-month treatment cycles . CONCLUSIONS : The results of this pilot study provide the basis and methods for a larger , more definitive trial to determine the utility of this long-acting injectable naltrexone formulation in the treatment of alcohol-dependent patients
The only study available on disulfiram showed reduced REM sleep .
Acamprosate showed no/little effect on self-reported sleep but improved sleep continuity and architecture measured by polysomnography .
The two opioidergic drugs naltrexone and nalmefene had mainly detrimental effect on sleep , giving increased insomnia and /or somnolence compared with placebo , although not always significant .
The meta- analysis confirmed significantly increased somnolence and insomnia in the naltrexone group , compared with the placebo .
Overall , the currently available evidence s show more sleep problems with the opioidergic drugs ( especially naltrexone ) , while acamprosate seems to be well tolerated or even beneficial .
Acamprosate might be a more suitable choice when patients with AUD report sleep problems .
Background : Sleep disorders are commonly associated with acute and chronic use of alcohol and with abstinence .
To date , there are four approved drugs to treat alcohol use disorder ( AUD ) : disulfiram , acamprosate , naltrexone , and nalmefene .
These AUD therapies reduce the craving and risk of relapse into heavy drinking , but little is known about their effect on sleep .
As recent evidence s indicate a crucial role of sleep disorders in AUD , cl aim ing that sleep problems may trigger alcohol abuse and relapses , it is fundamental to clarify the impact of those drugs on the sleep quality of AUD patients .
This systematic review aims to answer the question : how does the pharmacotherapy for AUD affect sleep ?