Efficacy of ketamine intervention to decrease alcohol use, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms in adults with problematic alcohol use or alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and comprehensive analysis of mechanism of actions.

Summary & key facts

Researchers reviewed existing studies that tested ketamine as a treatment for adults who drink too much or have alcohol use disorder. Some studies showed that ketamine might lower drinking, reduce cravings, or ease withdrawal. But the studies so far are limited and mixed, so the authors said the evidence is not strong enough to say ketamine definitely works. They recommended more and better research before ketamine can be considered a proven treatment for alcohol problems.

Key facts:

• The paper is a systematic review that gathered and analyzed published studies on ketamine for adults with problematic alcohol use or alcohol use disorder.
• Some of the studies in the review reported decreases in alcohol use, lower craving for alcohol, or reduced withdrawal symptoms after ketamine treatment.
• The overall evidence was judged promising but insufficient and inconsistent, so the reviewers said no definitive conclusions can be made about ketamine’s effectiveness.
• The authors recommended more research, including larger and better-designed studies, to clarify whether ketamine is safe and effective for treating alcohol problems.
• Because the current evidence is unclear, ketamine should not yet be treated as a proven or standard therapy for alcohol use disorder.

Abstract

Despite promising results, the current evidence does not permit definitive conclusions about the efficacy of ketamine in alcohol use disorders or withdrawal. Future studies are warranted.

Topics

Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency Treatment of Major Depression Tryptophan and brain disorders

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Neurology

Tags

Acamprosate Addiction Alcohol Alcohol dependence Alcohol use disorder Alcohol withdrawal syndrome Biochemistry Chemistry CINAHL Craving Internal medicine Intervention (counseling) Ketamine Law Medicine MEDLINE Meta-analysis Naltrexone Opioid Political science Psychiatry Psychological intervention PsycINFO Randomized controlled trial Receptor Surgery Systematic review

Substances

Ketamine

Conditions & symptoms

Addiction Substance abuse disorder Addiction or harmful habbits