Researchers at the University of Virginia (UV) Health System have completed a landmark study using topiramate, a drug currently approved for the treatment of migraine headaches and seizures.  The findings of the study suggest topiramate might be a highly effective treatment for alcoholic patients.  The drug seems to quench the thirst for alcohol at the same time it reduces some of the metabolic complications linked to excessive alcoholic intake.

Bankole Johnson, DSc, MD, PhD, MPhil, FRCPsych, and chairman of the university’s Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, says topiramate offers the hope of a healthier future and improved quality of life for patients suffering from alcohol dependency.

In the 14-week-long UV study, 371 alcoholics, both male and female, took either topiramate or a placebo and measures of function of various organ systems were taken before and after the trial.

Some of the most promising findings documented in the topiramate group versus the placebo group include:

• Decreased body mass index (BMI) by a mean of 1.08
• Reduction in all liver enzymes, including log plasma ?-glutamyl-transferase ratio, the industry-standard indicator of heavy drinking.
• Reduced blood pressure readings for both systolic and diastolic pressures.
• Levels of plasma cholesterol lowered an average 16.4 mg/dL in the topiramate group versus only 5.7 mg/dL in the placebo group.
• Obsessive thoughts about alcohol and the compulsion to drink declined markedly for the topiramate group.
• The topiramate group reported enhanced interest in pursuing daily activities in general, including those of leisure time and household chores.
• Reduced sleep disturbance.

Excessive drinking causes hypertension, heart disease, and liver damage.  Many alcoholics must take daily medications to treat these diseases.  One drawback to other anti-drinking medications tested in the past has been adverse interaction between the drugs taken for the alcoholism and the drugs taken for the related disorders.  Johnson expresses the hope that, because topiramate decreases the desire to drink and thereby minimizes the damage of excessive drinking, it may be possible to someday prescribe just one medication where multiple prescriptions are being taken now.

University of Virginia Health System