[Acamprosate (Aotal): could adverse effects upset the treatment of alcohol dependence?].

Acamprosate, a stimulant of central inhibitory GABA neurotransmision and an antagonist of excitatory amino acids, is used in alcohol withdrawal and for the maintenance of abstinence. After identification of several cases of treatment discontinuation during alcohol abstinence because of acamprosate-induced adverse drug reactions (ADRs), a retrospective study was conducted in order to investigate and quantify acamprosate-induced ADRs. Up to July 2002, 472 patients were included for treatment of alcohol withdrawal: of these, 68% (n = 322) received acamprosate.