PHARMACOTHERAPY

Pharmacotherapy Used in Treating Chemical Dependency

Pharmacotherapy used in treating Chemical Dependency

Introduction

Pharmacotherapy used in different states, and complications of alcohol dependence (e.g., depression, chronic alcoholic psychosis, ADHD syndrome), but in this paper, this issue is limited to identifying common forms of pharmacotherapy used in treating chemical dependency. Such as using pharmacotherapy drugs to reducing the amount of dependency on chemicals such as alcohol (by drinking liquor) and nicotine (by smoking tobacco), and improving the quality of life through the application of pharmacotherapy in co-occurring disorders (Kostowski & Herman, 2010).

Quitting smoking is not a straightforward process. There are people who take self-struggle with addiction. To help smokers, however, comes the modern pharmacology, which helps alleviate craving and withdrawal easier as most cigarettes. Duration of pharmacotherapy should last from 6 to 12 weeks. In the case of an increased risk of relapse, this period may be extended slightly, however. Pharmacological methods, however, should not be used in pregnant women. Consider pharmacotherapy in their case should take place only in situations where behavioral methods have proven to be ineffective. Pharmacological agents to help with addiction to nicotine can be divided into three groups: nicotine replacement therapy, drugs that block the action of nicotine receptor and medicinal substances that inhibit craving in a way not related directly with nicotinic receptors. Addiction to alcohol considered a disorder of complex etiology and pathogenesis, and as such requires a combination treatment consisting of the elements affecting the majority of factors. Although it believed that in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence 65-75% of the component is biological factors that are a significant form of psychotherapeutic treatment are the impacts of different theoretical orientations (Jachowicz, 2010).

Five common drugs

Thanks to advances in neuroscience knowledge about basic mechanisms of alcohol dependence is large, and pharmacologists have tried about 150 substances, some of which proved to have an impact on reducing alcohol consumption by experimental animals. Some medications such as “acamprosate” and “naltrexone”, been used clinically in the treatment of alcohol dependence, compared to other drugs until clinical knowledge accumulated, the results of experimental studies on certain drugs to encourage in-depth research.

According to the principle of offering patients the most effective treatment, acamprosate and naltrexone (as well as other drugs tested) used as a "supplement" to psychotherapy, in order to enhance its effectiveness. It has been shown that psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy added to increase its effectiveness compared with patients who were treated exclusively through psychotherapy methods.

With respect to naltrexone found that it is effective only with certain types of psychotherapy, and it used without much more effective than placebo

Regardless of the fact that it is advisable to use both drugs as improving the effectiveness of psychotherapy in clinical practice, we deal with many patients who for various reasons do not want or cannot benefit from psychotherapy, and agree to pharmacological treatment. In relation to them can be used in addition to pharmacotherapy, certain minimum educational and behavioral effects.

Acamprosate

Taurine derivative acamprosate is a structure similar to the naturally occurring neurotransmitter - ...