Antabuse (disulfiram)

Common use Antabuse is a medication used to treat chronic alcoholism. It contains the active substance disulfiram bis(diethylthiocarbamoyl), which blocks alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme involved in the metabolism of ethanol. Consequently, the blood concentration of acetaldehyde increases and causes unpleasant feelings such as flushing, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, lowering blood pressure, etc. Consumption of alcoholic beverages becomes extremely unpleasant during treatment with Antabuse. Dosage and direction Take it orally at least 12 hours after your drinking of alcohol. While taking Antabuse, avoid drinking alcoholic beverages in any form: beer, wine, aftershave lotions, liquid medications, mouthwash, colognes. Take the pill with a full glass of water. Precautions Inform your doctor if you have problems with the heart, stomach or duodenal ulcers, disorders of cerebral circulation, and disulfiram psychosis in history. Cautiousness should be exercised while using Antabuse in patients over 60 years of age. Contraindications Antabuse cannot be used in patients with severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, neuritis of the auditory nerve, glaucoma, optic neuritis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, pulmonary tuberculosis, severe hepatic impairment, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, mental illness, acute peptic ulcer, diseases of the kidneys, malignant tumor, polyneuritis, pregnant and breastfeeding women, allergic reactions to the medication. Possible side effect The most common side effects include: restlessness, headache, drowsiness, skin rash, acne, changes in vision, garlic-like aftertaste. More rare but serious adverse reactions may occur: tingling hands or feet, fatigue, weakness, strong stomach pains, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, yellowing of the eyes or skin. If you have serious side effects, they become bothersome and worsen, notify your doctor and seek immediate medical attention. Drug interaction Inform your health care advisor about all medications and herbal products you are taking, especially tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine (Tofranil), amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor), isoniazid (Nydrazid), phenytoin (Dilantin), warfarin (Coumadin), metronidazole (Flagyl), theophylline (Theo-Dur), MAO inhibitors such as phenelzine (Nardil), isocarboxazid (Marplan), or tranylcypromine (Parnate); benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), clorazepate (Tranxene), temazepam (Restoril), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), triazolam (Halcion), lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith, others). Missed dose Never take a double dose of this medication. If it is almost time for the next dose, just skip the missed portion and continue to take the medicine according to the schedule. Overdose Immediate medical care is needed in case of Antabuse overdose, which symptoms include loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, numbness and tingling, and seizures. Storage Store at room temperature of 59-86 F (15-30 C), away from moisture and sunlight. Keep away from moisture (bathroom). Disclaimer We provide only general information about medications, which does not cover all directions, possible drug interactions, or precautions. Information on the site cannot be used for self-treatment and self-diagnosis. Any specific instructions for a particular patient should be agreed upon with your healthcare adviser or doctor in charge of the case. We disclaim the reliability of this information and any mistakes it could contain. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special, or other indirect damage as a result of any use of the information on this site, and also for the consequences of self-treatment.