Campral

Campral^® offers a new therapeutic option for alcohol dependent patients in the US. Alcohol dependence is a chronic disease that accounts for approximately 100,000 deaths per year. An estimated 17.6 million Americans have a problem with the overuse of alcohol.

Campral (acamprosate calcium) Delayed-Release Tablets are indicated for the maintenance of abstinence from alcohol in patients with alcohol dependence who are abstinent at treatment initiation. Treatment with Campral should be part of a comprehensive management program that includes psychosocial support.

The FDA’s approval of Campral in 2004 brought an important new medicine to the aid of those committed to overcoming alcohol dependence as the first new medication for the treatment of alcohol dependence in almost a decade. Campral is different from other currently available medications, which either block the "high" associated with alcohol, or induce vomiting and other adverse effects if alcohol is ingested. Campral helps reduce the physical and emotional discomfort (eg, sweating, anxiety, sleep disturbances) many people feel in the weeks and months after they've stopped drinking. This makes it easier for them to not drink alcohol after the immediate withdrawal period.

Safety Information

Campral^® (acamprosate calcium) is contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance ≤ 30mL/min). Campral is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to acamprosate calcium or any excipients used in the formulation. Campral does not eliminate or diminish withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol-dependent patients, including those patients being treated with Campral, should be monitored for the development of symptoms of depression or suicidal thinking. The most common adverse events reported with Campral vs placebo ( ≥ 3% and higher than placebo) were asthenia, diarrhea, flatulence, nausea, and pruritus.