Drug adjuncts for treating alcohol dependence.

Three drugs are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating alcoholism: disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate. Drugs approved for other indications that are being used experimentally or "off-label" include nalmafene, topiramate, and ondansetron. As we learn more about the pathophysiologic basis of alcoholism, it is hoped that novel drugs can be developed to help people with alcohol dependence achieve abstinence, and as a result, curb alcohol-related morbidity.