Alcohol detoxification is the process during which patients with an addiction to alcohol have time to get the alcohol out of their system. Because alcohol abuse can lead to dependence, many patients going through an alcohol detoxification program experience alcohol withdrawal. Medications used for alcohol detoxification help relieve the withdrawal symptoms.
Benzodiazepines
Medline notes that one class of medication that is used for alcohol detoxification is benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are sedative medications and they also have some effect on the parts of the nervous system that respond to alcohol. As a result, these medications can help relieve some of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Their sedative effect also helps an individual relax and sleep while he is going through the detoxification process. Benzodiazepines that are commonly used in alcohol detoxification include diazepam and lorazepam.
Haloperidol
Haloperidol is an antipsychotic medication. Drugs.com explains that it is commonly used as part of an alcohol detoxification program for patients with a severe addiction to alcohol. This is because patients going through acute alcohol withdrawal can experience a condition known as delirium tremens, which results in hallucinations.
Anticonvulsants
Alcohol detoxification can also cause patients to experience seizures if they are heavily dependent on alcohol. In order to counteract these seizures, anticonvulsants may be used. These medications help inhibit abnormal electrical activity in the brain and, as a result, can be effective at preventing or relieving seizures. According to Drugs.com, commonly prescribed anticonvulsants include phenytoin and phenobarbitol. A 2004 article in American Family Physician ("Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome") notes that carbamazepine can also be used.
Clonidine
Alcohol detoxification can also put a strain on the cardiovascular system as it causes increased blood pressure and heart rate. Clonidine is a prescription medication that can counteract these effects as well as decrease some of the anxiety that alcohol detoxification can cause.
Beta Blockers
The 2004 American Family Physician article also notes that beta blockers (such as atenolol) may be used for patients with coronary artery disease, as these medications can help reduce the strain that alcohol detoxification can put on an already taxed cardiovascular system.
