Naltrexone in the Treatment of Concurrent Alcohol Dependence and Pathological Gambling

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2004-06-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

This study assessed whether naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, might be effective in reducing excessive gambling behavior in people who also drink heavily. The efficacy of naltrexone was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Fifty-two subjects who had significant problems with both gambling and alcohol received 11 weeks of either naltrexone or placebo.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Treatments: Ethanol; Naltrexone

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol abuse and dependence

• Diagnosis of pathological gambling

• Drinking on at least 50% of the days in the preceding month

• Gambling at least weekly in the month prior to assessment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Dependence or abuse of any other psychoactive substances (except for nicotine dependence)

• Concurrent diagnoses of any other psychiatric disorder,

• Serious medical illness

• Laboratory evidence of significant hepatocellular injury

• Use of disulfiramuse and/or opioid-containing medications

• Psychosocial crisis

• Pregnancy

• Inability to read or write English.

• Poor motivation to change alcohol or gambling behavior