EVALUATION OF DISULFIRAM IN THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM1

Seventy five male patients with the diagnosis of alcohol dependence syndrome were given disulfiram and an alcohol challenge was administered to all of them. They were kept on maintenance dose of the drug and followed up for six months, note being made of their improvement on several parameters, viz. the number of drinking episodes, the sevarity of reaction suffered, the side effects experienced etc. Twenty one patients were considered as drop outs and four were abstainent without the aid of the drug. 54 % of the fifty patients who continued taking the drug showed good to moderate improvement. 42% had one or more drinking episode while consuming the tablets. Older patients, and those brought by relatives and friends did better than the others. Results are discussed.