Drug application
Antabuse is a very drastic medication. The patients are recommended to consider seriously the treatment with this medication. Self-treatment with Antabuse is strictly prohibited as the treatment may cause adverse reactions.
The patients have to consult the doctor before Antabuse use. The doctor will define your diagnosis and will decide, whether it Antabuse use is suitable for your case, and then, taken into consideration the drug effect on your organism, will indicate the right treatment course which should be adhered throughout the whole drug course.
Before Antabuse prescription, the patient should pass the psychotherapeutic conversation explaining the mechanism of drug action, danger of alcohol consumption while drug use. Before Antabuse treatment, the patient or his relatives are asked to sign the document indicating that the patient bears responsibility for all possible risks to his health and life if he fails to follow the doctor’s recommendation to avoid alcohol consumption during the treatment. Except legal, this informed consent has also psychotherapeutic effect. It is attached to the case record.
Evidently, Antabuse is a drastic medication which can be dangerous if used improperly. But you should not worry, as the treatment with Antabuse is conducted under doctor’s observance, nothing dangerous may occur; only alcoholism will be treated. Antabuse has been used in medicine for many years, and up to now it is considered to be one of the most used. Antabuse is characterized by perfect effect and treats alcoholism very quickly and effectively.
Antabuse is taken orally. An effervescent tablet is placed in water, about half of glass, till full drug dissolution. Treatment should be started only after the patient’s examination and revealing of all aspects of this process. The dosage is prescribed individually to every patient, depending on disease severity and health state. Usually, an average dose is up to 200–500mg once or twice a day.
Approximately in 7–10 days of the treatment, disulfiram-alcohol test is made (20–30ml of alcohol after taking 500mg of the drug), if reaction is weak, an alcohol dose is increased by 10–20ml (maximum alcohol dose is 100-120ml).
Test is performed again in 1–2 days at hospital and in 3–5 days outpatiently with alcohol or drug doses adjustment, if required. Further a supporting dose of 150-200mg a day within 1–3 years can be maintained.
After peroral taking, 70 to 90% of tetraethylthiuram disulfide is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, quickly metabolized and eliminated through the lungs.
