This may vary among individual patients as a function of possible genetic differences, effects of chronic alcohol consumption, and differences in naltrexone blood levels. We expect that those patients with greater receptor blockade will experience greater alcoholism treatment effectiveness than patients with lower blockade. If so, this will help further elucidate the mechanisms of naltrexone's effectiveness in alcoholism treatment. They provide more evidence that alcohol addiction is a medical disease, and medicines like naltrexone can be helpful in helping people recover. CHD is caused by partial or complete clogging of the coronary arteries that nourish the heart.
Atherosclerosis refers to the accumulation of fatty streak lesions in the coronary arteries.
A recent study has found that moderate consumption of alcohol seems to inhibit the development of atherosclerotic lesions as well as inhibit the progression of existing lesions. In some cases, alcohol appears to have protective properties against heart disease. It was once thought this was because they drink a lot of red wine. Emeson said that while there may indeed be protective properties in the products of red and white grapes, he and his colleagues found that the alcohol itself also has protective properties against heart disease. In 1997, for example, CHD claimed the lives of close to 470,000 Americans.