Pharmacotherapy: A New Advancement in Addiction Treatment

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Pharmacotherapy: A New Advancement in Addiction Treatment

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Similar to other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma, addiction can be treated. However, with long-term sobriety achieved by just 30 percent of patients, traditional therapies have been only marginally effective. Thankfully, scientific research has found a major breakthrough in addiction treatment that has helped increase the effectiveness of treatment when combined with traditional behavioral therapies and 12-step programs – and that is pharmacotherapy.

Transcript of Pharmacotherapy: A New Advancement in Addiction Treatment

Page 1: Pharmacotherapy: A New Advancement in Addiction Treatment

Pharmacotherapy: A New Advancement in Addiction Treatment

Page 2: Pharmacotherapy: A New Advancement in Addiction Treatment

Impact of Alcohol and Drugs on Society

• Alcohol and drug addiction has become extremely prevalent within our society.

• According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), 23.2 million persons (9.4 percent of the U.S. population) aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem in 2007, and of those individuals only 2.4 million received treatment. Too many people are suffering from addiction and not getting the help and treatment they need.

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Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Disease of the Brain

• Research being done at the National Institutes of Health demonstrate conclusively that alcohol and drug addiction is a chronic brain disease – triggering compulsive urges to use (cravings) that cause people to use drugs and alcohol even though they’re aware that there may be undesired consequences.

• Similar to other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma, addiction can be treated.

• However, with long-term sobriety achieved by just 30 percent of patients, traditional therapies have been only marginally effective.

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Pharmacotherapy: What is it?

• Pharmacotherapy includes several highly-advanced medications that have been proven effective in dozens of clinical studies. It provides hope to those who have struggled and relapsed in the past by:– Blocking the effects that alcohol and/or

drugs cause within the brain

– Blocking the “high” or euphoria

from the substance

– Decreasing the physical effects

of addiction withdrawal

– Decreasing cravings for the addictive

substance

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Types of Pharmacotherapy Treatment for Alcoholism

• Disulfiram (Antabuse®) – oral medication that produces an unpleasant reaction when a person drinks even a little amount of alcohol.

• Acamprosate (Campral®) – oral medication that reduces feelings of cravings and overall desire to drink alcohol.

• Naltrexone (Vivitrol® and Revia®) – Vivitrol® is a time-released injection which lasts for 30 days and prevents addicts from getting drunk or feeling a “high” or euphoria from alcohol during that time. It also reduces cravings by up to 90 percent and reduces the severity of a relapse. Clinical trial results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed Vivitrol becoming effective as early as the second day of usage, and reducing the amount of drinks a person has per month by 90 percent (O’Malley et al. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2007).

• Revia® is the oral form of naltrexone that can also be effective for the daily management of alcohol dependence.

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Types of Pharmacotherapy for Drug Addiction

• Suboxone® and Subutex® – oral medication used for opiate withdrawal stabilization and ongoing treatment for narcotic addictions, including heroin and prescription painmedications.

• Naltrexone (Revia®) – oral medication that completely blocks the opiate receptor to prevent the activity of the opiate in the body. When included in as part of an individualized, comprehensive treatment plan, pharmacotherapy medications are a safe and an effective treatment option for those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.

• Ask your doctor if any of the above anti-addiction medications may be right for you. Lab work may be required prior to starting any new medication treatment.

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Comprehensive Addiction Treatment

• Science has shown that a comprehensive approach to treating addiction is essential for long-term sobriety.

• Patients need behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, 12–step involvement, family therapy, psychiatric treatment when needed, and a wellness and nutrition approach to help them recover from drug and alcohol addiction.

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About Enterhealth and The Ranch

• Enterhealth A Texas-based addiction disease

management provider with personalized drug and alcohol treatment programs which offer the best chance for long-term recovery by treating the whole person – mind, body and soul – approaching addiction as a chronic brain disease.

• The Ranch An Enterhealth addiction treatment facility

situated on 43 acres, which offers a natural surrounding for clients to recover their life from addiction.

To learn more about Enterhealth and The Ranch, how we treat addiction, and how we provide a better way to recover, please visit http://www.enterhealth.com/ or call 1-800-388-4601.