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A few years ago, a dear friend of mine got drunk and crashed his car into his home in the Caribbean. Fortunately, both he and his home were safe. After this, we discovered he had alcohol use disorder and started him on naltrexone, an opioid antagonist that reduces his cravings for alcohol.
My friend recovered, soon his drinking significantly decreased, and he enjoyed the last few years of his life.
But naltrexone made me feel nauseous and wasn’t completely effective, so I sometimes wonder if I could have done better. Another treatment is about to come to a clinic near you. It’s a treatment you often hear about in other areas, like weight loss or diabetes. This drug is semaglutide, or commonly known as Ozempic or Wigovy. A new large-scale study of more than 200,000 teens and adults with alcohol use disorders conducted in Finland and Sweden finds that taking any of these drugs is associated with drug abuse. They found that patients were far less likely to be hospitalized with symptoms. This is a huge step forward in the world of alcohol abuse.
Diabetes and weight loss drugs reduce alcohol-related hospitalizations, study finds
Alcohol use disorder is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as “a medical condition characterized by an impairment in the ability to cease or control alcohol use despite negative social, occupational, or health consequences.” is defined as. It affects approximately 30 million teens and adults in this country and is the most commonly diagnosed substance abuse disorder.
Alcohol use disorder is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as “a medical condition characterized by an impairment in the ability to cease or control alcohol use despite negative social, occupational, or health consequences.” is defined as. (St. Petersburg)
But when it comes to alcohol use itself, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 30% of Americans binge drink. This opens up the possibility of wider use of these GLP-1 drugs, which slow gastric emptying and help manage insulin and sugar. Their effects on the brain also seem to help reduce alcohol cravings.
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In fact, these drugs increasingly appear to be a panacea, as they reduce inflammation, improve glucose metabolism, reduce hunger and cravings, and, according to recent research, appear to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s starting.
With oral versions of these drugs about to hit the market, their use is sure to explode even further. As these expanded uses become apparent, further demand will emerge, as has been seen with statins (Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor). However, lifestyle changes are as important as ever and the reasons why we drink excessively need to be addressed as a society.
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The coronavirus pandemic has sparked a trend in alcohol use that continues. Work, school, lifestyle disruptions and social isolation are associated with increased alcohol consumption as people self-medicate their anxiety with alcohol. From 2019 to 2021, alcohol sales increased the most since 1969. The trend has not reversed Even though the lockdown has been lifted and socialization has increased. People have already locked into new drinking patterns, and they continue to do so.
This problem cannot be treated with injections or pills, no matter how powerful. Reducing alcohol consumption must be an important part of the larger effort to make America healthy again.
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