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Is Clonidine Useful in the Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal?
Author(s) -
Robinson B. J.,
Robinson G. M.,
Maling T. J. B.,
Johnson R. H.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1989.tb00290.x
Subject(s) - clonidine , anesthesia , medicine , alcohol withdrawal syndrome , orthostatic vital signs , dose , detoxification (alternative medicine) , alcohol , blood pressure , biochemistry , chemistry , alternative medicine , pathology
The comparative efficacy of clonidine and chlormethiazole has been examined in the management of acute alcohol withdrawal. A double blind randomized study was conducted in consecutive patients admitted to a hospital detoxification unit. Patients were assessed regularly by a standard alcohol withdrawal rating‐scale. Thirty‐two patients received either clonidine or chlormethiazole in reducing dosages over 96 hr. All the patients receiving chlormethiazole had uneventful withdrawals. However, eight patients treated with clonidine were withdrawn from the trial due to hallucinations (two), seizures (two), symptomatic orthostatic hypotension (three) or drowsiness (one), indicating that clonidine is less effective than chlormethiazole in the prevention of the major manifestations of alcohol withdrawal.