Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T10:52:12.927Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

National differences in disulfiram prescribing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jonathan Chick  and
Colin Brewer
Jonathan Chick*
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital Edinburgh EH10 5HF
Colin Brewer
Affiliation:
The Stapleford Centre, London SW1 9PN
*
∗Correspondence
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Aims and method

To test the impression of wide national differences in the use of deterrent medication in the treatment of alcohol dependence, data showing comparative sales of disulfiram in 13 countries were obtained.

Results

Sales in Britain were lowest, and less than a tenth of those in Denmark. Rates bore no relation to alcohol sales or an index of alcohol-related problems in the 13 countries.

Clinical implications

British doctors may apply a particularly cautious risk/benefit ratio for disulfiram. The disparity may also reflect the predominantly nonmedical approach to treating alcohol dependence in Britain.

Type
Original papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 23 , Issue 6 , June 1999 , pp. 335 - 339
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

References

Alcoholics Anonymous (1975) Living Sober. Pp. 60. London: Jupiter.Google Scholar
Amador, E. & Gazdar, A. (1967) Sudden death during disulfiram alcohol reaction. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 28, 649 654.Google Scholar
Becker, M. & Sugarman, G. (1952) Death following ‘test drink’ of alcohol in patients receiving Antabuse. Journal of the American Medical Association, 149, 568 571.Google Scholar
Besson, J., Aeby, F., Kasas, A., et al (1998) Combined efficacy of acamprosate and disulfiram in the treatment of alcoholism: a controlled study. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 22, 573 579.Google Scholar
Black, J. & Richardson, J. (1985) Disulfiram hepatotoxicity: case report. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 46, 67 68.Google Scholar
Branchey, L., Davis, W., Lee, K. K., et al (1987) Psychiatric complications of disulfiram treatment. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1310 1312.Google Scholar
Brewer, C. (1984) How effective is the standard dose of disulfiram? A review of the alcohol–disulfiram reaction in practice. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 200 202.Google Scholar
Brewer, C. (1993) Invited review: recent developments in disulfiram treatment. Alcohol & Alcoholism, 28, 383 395.Google Scholar
Brewer, C. (1996) On the specific effectiveness, and under-valuing, of pharmacological treatments for addiction: a comparison of methadone, naltrexone and disulfiram with psychosocial interventions. Addiction Research, 3, 297 313.Google Scholar
British National Formulary (1997) British National Formulary. London: British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.Google Scholar
Caplehorn, J. R. M. (1995) Methadone maintenance treatment: Britain has been over-committed to psychological theories of drug dependence. British Medical Journal, 310, 465.Google Scholar
Carroll, K., Ziedonis, D., O'Malley, S., et al (1993) Pharmacological interventions for alcohol- and cocaine-abusing individuals: A pilot study of disulfiram vs. naltrexone. American Journal on Addictions, 2, 77 79.Google Scholar
Chan, K. Y. (1996) The Singapore naltrexone community-based project for heroin addicts compared with a drug-free community-based programme: the first cohort. Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine, 3, 87 92.Google Scholar
Chick, J. (1996) Medication in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 2, 249 257.Google Scholar
Chick, J., Gough, K., Falkowski, W., et al (1992) Disulfiram treatment of alcoholism. British Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 84 89.Google Scholar
Davies, J. B. (1992) The Myth of Addiction – An Application of the Psychological Theory of Attribution of Illicit Drug Use. Chan Harwood Academic Press.Google Scholar
Department of Health Working Party on Alcohol Misuse (1989) Drinking Problems – A Challenge for Every Doctor. London: Department of Health.Google Scholar
Dilts, S. & Dilts, S. (1996) Assessing liver function before initiating disulfiram therapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 1504 1505.Google Scholar
Edwards, G. (1987) The Treatment of Drinking Problems: A Guide for the Helping Professions (2nd edn). Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Edwards, G., Marshall, J., Cook, C. C. (1997) The Treatment of Drinking Problems. (3rd edn). London: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Forns, X., Caballeria, J., Bruguera, M., et al (1994) Disulfiram-induced hepatitis. Report of four cases and review of the literature. Journal of Hepatology, 21, 853 857.Google Scholar
Fuller, R. K., Branchey, L., Brightwell, D. R., et al (1986) Disulfiram treatment of alcoholism. Journal of the American Medical Society, 256, 1449 1455.Google Scholar
Glass, I. (ed.) (1991) International Handbook on Addictive Behaviour. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Goyer, P. & Major, L. (1979) Hepatotoxicity in disulfiram-treated patients. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 2, 133 137.Google Scholar
Guarnaschelli, J., Zapanta, E. & PITTS, G. (1972) Intracranial haemorrhage associated with the disulfiram-alcohol reaction. Bulletin of the Los Angeles Neurological Society, 37, 19 23.Google Scholar
Heather, N. (1989) Disulfiram treatment in alcoholism: deserves a second chance? British Medical Journal, 299, 471 472.Google Scholar
Heather, N. (1993) Disulfiram treatment for alcohol problems: is it effective, and if so. why? In Treatment Options in Addiction: Medical Management of Alcohol and Opiate Abuse (ed. Brewer, C.), pp. 1 18. London: Gaskell.Google Scholar
Heather, N. & Robertson, I. (1981) Controlled Drinking. London: Methuen.Google Scholar
Hughes, J. C. & Cook, C. (1997) The efficacy of disulfiram – a review of outcome studies. Addiction, 92, 381 396.Google Scholar
Iber, F. L., Lee, K., Lacoursiere, R., et al (1987) Liver toxicity encountered in the Veterans Administration trial of disulfiram in alcoholics. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 11, 301 304.Google Scholar
Kaaber, K., Menne, T., Veien, N., et al (1987) Some adverse effects of disulfiram in the treatment of nickel-allergic patients. Dermatosen Beruf Umwelt, 38, 211.Google Scholar
O'Brien, C. P., Volpicelli, L. A. & Volpicelli, J. R. (1996) Naltrexone in the treatment of alcoholism: a clinical review. Alcohol, 13, 35 39.Google Scholar
Pouch, J. M., Armor, D. & Braiker, H. (1981) The Course of Alcoholism Four Years After Treatment. New York: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Poulsen, E. H., Loft, S., Andersen, J. R., et al (1992) Disulfiram therapy adverse drug reaction and interactions. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavida, 86, 59 66.Google Scholar
Shaw, S. (1985) The disease concept of dependence. In The Misuse of Alcohol Crucial Issues on Dependence. Treatment and Prevention (eds Heather, N., Robertson, I. & Davies, P.). London: Croom Helm.Google Scholar
Sunderman, F. W. (1958) Dithiocarb: a new therapeutic agent for persons exposed to nickel carbonyl. American Journal of Medical Science, 236, 26 30.Google Scholar
Volpicelli, J. R., Rhines, K. C., Rhines, J. S., et al (1997) Naltrexone and alcohol dependence. Archives of General Psychiatry, 54, 1737 1742.Google Scholar
World Drink Trends (1992) World Drink Trends. International Beverage Alcohol Consumption and Production Trends. Henley-on-Thames: Produktschap voor Gedistillerde Dranken and NTC Publications.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.