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Assessment and treatment of insomnia in adult patients with alcohol use disorders.

Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)
June 1, 2015
Kirk J Brower
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to assess the role of melatonin agonists in treating insomnia in alcohol-dependent adults, weighing their benefits and risks among other treatment options.

Results Summary

The abstract mentions melatonin agonists as one of the treatment options for insomnia in alcohol-dependent patients, noting they have benefits and risks that must be weighed and monitored, but does not provide specific efficacy data for melatonin.

Population

Alcohol-dependent adults with persistent insomnia despite 4 or more weeks of sobriety.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (13)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
behavior therapies
decrease
insomnia
patients with alcohol dependence
-
demonstrating efficacy
#1
non-addictive medications
decrease
insomnia
patients with alcohol dependence
-
demonstrating efficacy
#2
sobriety
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
will have some improvement
#3
brief behavioral therapies
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
have shown long-lasting benefit
#4
brief behavioral therapies
no change
drinking outcomes
alcohol-dependent adults
-
without worsening
#5
medications
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
work faster
#6
melatonin agonists
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
have their benefits and risks
#7
sedating antidepressants
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
have their benefits and risks
#8
anticonvulsants
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
have their benefits and risks
#9
antipsychotics
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
have their benefits and risks
#10
benzodiazepine receptor agonists
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
have their benefits and risks
#11
relapse prevention medications
decrease
insomnia
alcohol-dependent adults
-
may also have sleep-promoting activity
#12
treatment for insomnia
decrease
relapse
alcohol-dependent adults
-
has not been firmly established
#13
Abstract

Insomnia in patients with alcohol dependence has increasingly become a target of treatment due to its prevalence, persistence, and associations with relapse and suicidal thoughts, as well as randomized controlled studies demonstrating efficacy with behavior therapies and non-addictive medications. This article focuses on assessing and treating insomnia that persists despite 4 or more weeks of sobriety in alcohol-dependent adults. Selecting among the various options for treatment follows a comprehensive assessment of insomnia and its multifactorial causes. In addition to chronic, heavy alcohol consumption and its effects on sleep regulatory systems, contributing factors include premorbid insomnia; co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and other sleep disorders; use of other substances and medications; stress; environmental factors; and inadequate sleep hygiene. The assessment makes use of history, rating scales, and sleep diaries as well as physical, mental status, and laboratory examinations to rule out these factors. Polysomnography is indicated when another sleep disorder is suspected, such as sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder, or when insomnia is resistant to treatment. Sobriety remains a necessary, first-line treatment for insomnia, and most patients will have some improvement. If insomnia-specific treatment is needed, then brief behavioral therapies are the treatment of choice, because they have shown long-lasting benefit without worsening of drinking outcomes. Medications work faster, but they generally work only as long as they are taken. Melatonin agonists; sedating antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics; and benzodiazepine receptor agonists each have their benefits and risks, which must be weighed and monitored to optimize outcomes. Some relapse prevention medications may also have sleep-promoting activity. Although it is assumed that treatment for insomnia will help prevent relapse, this has not been firmly established. Therefore, insomnia and alcohol dependence might be best thought of as co-occurring disorders, each of which requires its own treatment.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AcamprosateAlcohol DeterrentsAlcoholismAminesAnti-Anxiety AgentsAnticonvulsantsAntipsychotic AgentsCognitive Behavioral TherapyComorbidityCyclohexanecarboxylic AcidsDiagnosis, DifferentialDyssomniasFructoseGabapentinHumansPolysomnographyQuetiapine FumarateSleep Apnea SyndromesSleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersStress, PsychologicalTaurineTopiramateTrazodonegamma-Aminobutyric Acid
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy60/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations84
Citations/Year8.4
Relative Citation Ratio4.14
NIH Percentile90.6%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score1.85
Normalized Score0.59
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