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Alcohol dependence Clinical criteria: The treatment must be part of a comprehensive treatment program with the goal of maintaining abstinence.
“Acamprosate calcium has a chemical structure similar to that of amino acid neuromediators, such as taurine or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), including an acetylation to facilitate passage across the blood brain barrier.”
“After oral dosing of 666 mg of acamprosate, the apparent elimination half life ranged from 13 to 28.4 hours.”
A plain-language summary of the cited sources below. Informational only — not medical advice.
Acamprosate is a synthetic amino-acid analogue structurally similar to taurine and gamma-aminobutyric acid, modified by acetylation to facilitate blood–brain-barrier passage. It is TGA-approved for maintenance of abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients. The apparent elimination half-life following oral dosing ranges from 13 to 28.4 hours.
The most frequently reported adverse effects are gastrointestinal—diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence. Hypersensitivity reactions including urticaria, angio-oedema, anaphylaxis, and vesiculo-bullous eruptions have been documented. Acamprosate is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the medicine, renal insufficiency (serum creatinine greater than 120 micromol/L), severe hepatic failure (Child–Pugh C), and in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
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Curated subset. The full adverse-effect list is in the TGA Product Information; click any citation above to open it.