Have you decided to get rid of alcoholism? Try migraine pills!
Alcoholism is a serious disease not so much as a form of drug addiction, but due to damage to internal organs, including the heart and liver, as well as psychological balance disorders that worsen the quality of an individual's life.
Scientists at the University of Virginia, working under the guidance of Professor Bankole Johnson, state that, according to the results of 14-week clinical trials on a national scale involving 371 men and women diagnosed with alcoholism, the drug topiramate not only suppresses the desire to drink, but also reduces the severity of the physical and psychological consequences of the process "tying" and residual effects of alcoholism.
In clinical trials, topiramate significantly reduced systolic and diastolic pressure more effectively than placebo (by 9.7 and 6.7 mmHg, respectively). It also reduced the level of cholesterol in the blood by 16.4 mg/deciliter, whereas for placebo this indicator was 5.7 mg /deciliter. The combination of these effects indicates that the drug reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in alcohol-dependent individuals.
Taking topiramate also contributed to a decrease in body mass index and liver enzyme activity. This result, combined with a decrease in cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of fatty liver infiltration leading to cirrhosis – a common cause of death in alcoholism patients.
In addition, topiramate significantly reduced the tendency to obsessive thoughts and the frequency of the desire to drink. In general, compared with placebo, topiramate had a more pronounced positive effect on the quality of sleep and life in general, which was manifested in daily chores, spending free time, doing homework.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved topiramate as an anticonvulsant and migraine medication, but it has not yet received approval for use in the treatment of alcoholism. The study was funded by the manufacturer of the drug Ortho-McNeil Neurological.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily
16.06.2008