Disulfiram Treatment of Patients with Both Alcohol Dependence and Other Psychiatric Disorders: A Review

In treatment of alcohol dependence, disulfiram is most useful in conjunction with a structured, supervised, aftercare program. However, it has been reported to cause psychiatric side effects and to interact with various psychiatric medications. Many patients with alcohol dependence suffer from other psychiatric disorders and are treated with such psychiatric medications. This paper reviews the pertinent clinical pharmacology of disulfiram and the literature on potential psychiatric complications and drug interactions of disulfiram. At the usual dosage, about 250 mg/day, disulfiram does not appear to increase significantly the risk of psychiatric complications or of psychiatric drug interactions. Therefore, it can be considered a treatment option for patients with alcohol dependence and other psychiatric disorders.