Bromocriptine in the treatment of the alcohol-withdrawal syndrome.

A 10-day random double-blind study on the effect of bromocriptine versus placebo in severe alcohol-withdrawal symptoms was conducted in 60 alcoholics. The effect of bromocriptine--a dopamine agonist--was significantly better than placebo in ameliorating the following symptoms: anxiety, restlessness, depression, tremor, sweating and nausea as well as the total score of these symptoms. Also in the evaluation of specific symptoms according to a symptom check list of psychiatric, behavioural and social aspects, and in a global evaluation, bromocriptine was clearly superior to placebo. Serum prolactin studied on the first and tenth day of the survey showed a significant increase occurring in the placebo-treated patients. Side effects related to the use of bromocriptine were negligible. Our findings support recent experimental evidence that alcohol-withdrawal symptoms, at least in part, are related to a transient dopaminergic dysfunction in the brain.