• Mariangela Antonelli, Luisa Sestito, Claudia Tarli, and Giovanni Addolorato.
• Internal Medicine and Alcohol Related Disease Unit, Columbus-Gemelli Hospital, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
• Eur. J. Intern. Med. 2022 Sep 1; 103: 13-22.

IntroductionIn the last decades, many medications have been tested for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Among them, disulfiram, acamprosate, naltrexone, nalmefene, sodium oxybate and baclofen have been approved in different countries, with different specific indications. Topiramate is not approved for the treatment of AUD, however, it is suggested as a therapeutic option by the American Psychiatric Association for patients who do not tolerate or respond to approved therapies.Areas CoveredIn this narrative review we have analyzed the main studies available in literature, investigating the efficacy and safety of these medications, distinguishing whether they were oriented towards abstinence or not. Randomized controlled studies, analyzing larger populations for longer periods were the main focus of our analysis.ConclusionsThe medications currently available for the treatment of AUD are quite effective, yet further progress can still be achieved through the personalized strategies. Also, these medications are still markedly underutilized in clinical practice and many patients do not have access to specialized treatment.Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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