Emerging treatments

Anticonvulsants

The American Society of Addiction Medicine recommends the use of gabapentin, carbamazepine, or valproic acid as adjunctive treatment in select patient populations with mild alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).[5] However, due to a lack of high-quality trial data, gabapentin, carbamazepine, and valproic acid are not routinely used in practice for AWS management.[106][107] Although limited, available evidence suggests that a high dose of oral gabapentin may be efficacious in limiting withdrawal symptoms among patients with mild AWS versus placebo, lowering benzodiazepine requirements, and it may be equally efficacious as lorazepam for the treatment of AWS.[108][109][110] Evidence for carbamazepine and valproic acid is even more limited than that for gabapentin.[106][111]

Ketamine

Data suggest that ketamine may reduce benzodiazepine requirement during alcohol withdrawal treatment.[89] Further research is warranted.

Baclofen

Baclofen is being studied for use in alcohol withdrawal, but there is insufficient evidence to currently support its use in the clinical setting.[5][112]

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