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Therapeutics
Randomised controlled trial
Pregabalin similar to lorazepam for alcohol withdrawal symptoms
  1. Giovanni Addolorato1,
  2. Lorenzo Leggio1,2
  1. 1Institute of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  2. 2Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
  1. Correspondence to Giovanni Addolorato
    Institute of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Rome, L.go A. Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; g.addolorato{at}rm.unicatt.it

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm1069

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    Commentary on:

    1. Martinotti G,
    2. di Nicola M,
    3. Frustaci A,
    4. et al
    . Pregabalin, tiapride and lorazepam in alcohol withdrawal syndrome: a multi-centre, randomized, single-blind comparison trial. Addiction 2010;105:288–99.
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    Alcohol withdrawal syndrome

    Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) can be a life-threatening condition affecting some alcohol-dependent patients who abruptly discontinue or decrease their alcohol consumption. At present, benzodiazepines (BZDs) are the drugs of choice in the treatment of AWS1, as they have proven their efficacy in ameliorating symptoms and decreasing the risk of seizures and delirium tremens.2 However, the use of BZDs may be associated with increased risk of excess sedation, memory deficits and respiratory depression.1 BZDs also have abuse and dependence liability4 which constitutes a limitation to their use in patients affected by substance-abuse disorder.1 Thus, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in testing non-BZD GABAergic medications in the treatment of AWS.4 Ideally, a pharmacotherapy for AWS should have …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.