[Treatment of alcohol dependence: rational and arguable approaches].

Treatment of alcohol dependence consist of alcohol detoxification with withdrawal alleviation and relapse prevention or maintenance therapy. Drugs of choice for alcohol withdrawal cure are benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants are an alternative for them. Relapse prevention and alcohol abuse alleviation are carried out using disulfiram, acamprosate, naltrexone and nalmefene. Moreover, therapeutic possibilities of memantine, gabapentine, pregabalin, baclofen, modafinil, ondansetron D-cycloserine and aripiprazole are studying nowadays. Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors including fluvoxamine for alcohol patients is of great importance due to frequent comorbidity of alcoholism, depression and anxiety. There are some doubtful methods of alcoholism treatment accepted in Russian addictive medicine such as clearance detoxification and use of antipsychotics for craving elimination.