This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

Nalmefene for reducing alcohol consumption in people with alcohol dependence

Authoring team

  • Nalmefene is an opioid system modulator with antagonist activity at the mu and delta receptors and partial agonist activity at the kappa receptor
    • Nalmefene as-needed has been shown to reduce the total amount of alcohol consumption and number of heavy drinking days and to improve liver function and clinical status in two published 6-month studies in patients with alcohol dependence (1,2)

    • Nalmefene has a marketing authorisation in the UK for 'the reduction of alcohol consumption in adult patients with alcohol dependence who have a high drinking risk level without physical withdrawal symptoms and who do not require immediate detoxification'
      • the summary of product characteristics states that a high drinking risk level is defined as alcohol consumption of more than 60 g (7.5 units) per day for men and more than 40 g (5 units) per day for women

NICE state (3):

  • Nalmefene is recommended within its marketing authorisation, as an option for reducing alcohol consumption, for people with alcohol dependence:
    • who have a high drinking risk level (defined as alcohol consumption of more than 60 g per day for men and more than 40 g per day for women, according to the World Health Organization's drinking risk levels) without physical withdrawal symptoms and
    • who do not require immediate detoxification
  • the marketing authorisation states that nalmefene should:
    • only be prescribed in conjunction with continuous psychosocial support focused on treatment adherence and reducing alcohol consumption and
    • be initiated only in patients who continue to have a high drinking risk level 2 weeks after initial assessment

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.