The studies administered baclofen in daily doses ranging from 30 mg to 300 mg. We combined the outcomes from the individual studies through meta‐analysis where possible (comparability of intervention and outcomes between studies), using a random‐effects model, because we expected a certain degree of heterogeneity between studies. If the clinical or statistical heterogeneity between studies was too high (i.e. 75% to 100%), we considered not pooling the data. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most widespread psychiatric disorders leading to detrimental consequences to people with this disorder and others. Therapeutic approaches, including pharmacotherapy, play an important role in treating people with AUD.
Goals of Treatment
- Therefore, the pump is prescribed to individuals who have trouble tolerating its oral forms.
- These findings underline the paucity of literature for some important outcomes.
- Open the packet and empty the entire contents of the packet into your mouth and swallow.
- Baclofen was initially shown to have efficacy in alcohol use disorders in a small trial in Italy [26].
Baclofen likely reduces the risk of relapse to any drinking and increases the percentage of abstinent days, mainly among detoxified participants. It does not increase the number of participants with at least one adverse event, those who dropout for any reason or due to adverse events. It probably does not reduce number of heavy drinking days and the number of drinks per drinking days. Current evidence suggests that baclofen may help people with AUD in maintaining abstinence. The results of comparisons of baclofen with acamprosate and naltrexone were mainly based on only one study.
Differences between protocol and review
In response to side effects, baclofen administration was suspended or reduced. Because of its short half-life [2–6 h; 93], baclofen was administered in two, three, or four daily administrations. Another study found that 14 non-treatment seeking AUD subjects self-administered a lower amount of alcohol when they received 30 mg/day amazon best sellers of baclofen compared to the sessions during which they received placebo. Furthermore, baclofen affected the biphasic effects of alcohol during the experimental alcohol administration session (74). Baclofen, a selective gamma-aminobutyric acid-B (GABA-B) receptor agonist, has emerged as a promising drug for AUD (16).
How Does Baclofen Work in Addiction Treatment?
Baclofen was initially shown to have efficacy in alcohol use disorders in a small trial in Italy [26]. Since then, ~1500 subjects have been studied in placebo-controlled clinical trials primarily in Europe with several meta-analyses published [7,8,9]. First, is that published trials have been mixed with some reporting 8 natural cures for erectile dysfunction no benefit to baclofen and others showing efficacy on total abstinence and time to lapse [7]. These mixed findings are not unusual in the alcohol use disorder field, e.g., two large U.S. trials [29, 30] failed to show efficacy of acamprosate though the FDA-approved acamprosate based on European trial data.
Garbutt 2010b2 published data only
The results of the present review suggest that baclofen may reduce the risk to return to any drinking. Other non‐Cochrane systematic reviews found that baclofen significantly increases the number of abstinent participants (Lesouef 2014; Pierce 2018; Rose 2018). As return to any drinking and abstinent participants are complementary outcomes, these results of the present review are in line with those of other systematic reviews.
Regarding the respiratory system, it can cause dyspnea and respiratory depression, and, most importantly, worsen obstructive sleep apnea (123). Baclofen has no substantial impact on cardiovascular and respiratory systems in healthy people, but physicians must be cautious in prescribing baclofen to patients with breathing and cardiovascular problems. In some settings, controlled dispensing may be available, and while no such trials have been reported, this may allow for safer use of baclofen in a vulnerable patient population. Controlled dispensing may involve attending a pharmacy daily, or perhaps twice weekly, thus limiting patient access to medication for 1–3 days. A competent family member or other care-giver may undertake a similar role.
We excluded three studies (see Characteristics of excluded studies table) and one is awaiting classification (see Characteristics of studies awaiting classification table). While several pharmacological treatments have been approved for the treatment of AUD (see Background), their clinical use is limited by a number of factors (Sinclair 2016). The aversive agent disulfiram supports abstinence (Jorgensen 2011), but due to its safety profile it is a therapeutic option for only selected patient groups with a high self‐efficacy expectation to abstain from drinking after taking disulfiram (Mutschler 2016). Even though numerous case reports and case series confirmed the effectiveness of baclofen in people with AUD, data from RCTs yielded conflicting results (de Beaurepaire 2019).
Sporadic cases of sexual dysfunction have been reported among patients using baclofen to treat spasticity (130) and AUD (52, 63). As excessive alcohol consumption is a known cause of sexual dysfunction, baclofen treatment may worsen these disorders among AUD patients already suffering from sexual dysfunction. However, as with sleep disorders, it is possible that baclofen treatment, by helping AUD patients to achieve and maintain abstinence from alcohol or reducing alcohol consumption to low risk levels, may improve sexual function.
It has been marketed since the early 1970s for the treatment of muscle spasticity, secondary to neurological conditions. The wide use of baclofen as a myorelaxant has provided detailed information on its safety and side effects in these patients (17). From the 1970s, research, largely in animal addiction models, suggested that baclofen may also be effective in the treatment of AUD (1).
Baclofen can be a useful tool when used as part of an integrated approach to treatment that includes medical supervision and other tools, such as research-based therapies and peer support. Because some of the side effects can be dangerous, it is important to obtain input and oversight from a medical professional before using baclofen to treat addiction. If the side effects for the individual are severe, it may counter any craving reductions or other substance abuse benefit the drug might provide. It is important to emphasize that baclofen, while it may be useful in supporting addiction treatment, is not a standalone solution to managing substance use disorders. The drug can help diminish cravings and make it easier to avoid relapse to substance use, but it is necessary to provide complementary therapy and other treatments to help the individual. The professional addiction treatment community is always on the lookout for new, more reliable ways of treating substance use disorders, and research is continually ongoing into various means of medical support for treatment.
There is evidence, post hoc analysis, that 90 mg of baclofen reduces anxiety in subjects with high, pre-trial anxiety in keeping with some prior trials [14]. If confirmed, baclofen could represent a therapeutic option in patients with AUD and anxiety, a common problem. Reported baseline values are observed means with standard deviations selling prescription drugs illegally for continuous measures and percentages for categorical responses. Baseline differences in demographic variables and level of baseline drinking between placebo, 30 mg/day baclofen, and 90 mg/day of baclofen were investigated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) models for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables.
The two primary end points were % heavy drinking days (HDD) and % abstinent days (ABST) over the active treatment period as assessed by TLFB. For this intention-to-treat analysis all subjects were included in the analysis once randomized with the exception of two subjects who failed to provide any post-randomization data. The effect of baclofen dose, sex, and level of pre-randomization drinking on response to baclofen were a priori considerations given the evidence these may be moderators for efficacy or tolerability [7,8,9,10]. In addition, the effect of baclofen on state anxiety was a preplanned analysis. Secondary analyses included changes in PACS, responder analysis defined as no heavy drinking in final 8 weeks of trial [23], and changes in CDT/GGT.
They can provide guidance on managing any side effects or adjust your treatment plan if necessary. Additionally, inform your healthcare professional about any pre-existing medical conditions or medications you are taking to minimize risks and ensure the safe use of Baclofen. By proactively considering these safety measures, individuals can reduce the risk of purchasing substandard or counterfeit Baclofen online. Prioritizing safety ensures that individuals receive genuine, high-quality medication that is effective and safe to use.
However, another systematic review found that baclofen may increase the rate of abstinent days (Agabio 2021b). As this review was aimed at investigating the potential role of anxiety in influencing the effects of baclofen, it included only RCTs that provided anxiety levels of participants both at baseline and at the end of treatment. This review found that baclofen increases the rate of abstinent days only among participants with high anxiety levels and not among participants with low anxiety levels at baseline (Agabio 2021b). These findings suggest that baclofen may be useful only for certain people with AUD and that treatment should be personalised. Finally, the results of two recent studies suggest that women may respond better to baclofen for the treatment of AUD than men (Garbutt 2021‐LD; Garbutt 2021‐MD; Morley 2022).
MS often leads to muscle spasms and stiffness, and Baclofen can provide relief to individuals experiencing these symptoms. Additionally, Baclofen is effective for treating muscle spasms caused by spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and other neurological conditions. Baclofen is a prescription drug that individuals can use to treat muscle spasms. These spasms may be caused by medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as spinal cord diseases or injuries.
