[Baclofen: the new miracle cure for alcoholism?]

Baclofen, a very potent agonist of the GABA system, has anti-craving properties that can provide to this old drug, usually prescribed against spasticity, a new interest in the treatment of alcoholism. Baclofen suppresses the craving, while other anticraving medications reduce it. This suppression is dose-dependent and appears at doses 3 mg/kg/d. Most of the studies with human beings used much lower doses, often 30 mg/day. At this dosage, baclofen is associated with outcome similar to other anticraving medications. A published self case-report using high dose of baclofen suggests the suppression of craving on a prolonged period of time. This publication gave a new dynamic to the prescription of high doses of this drug. Currently, no studies provide robust results on the efficacy of high dosages while some clinicians prescribe baclofen to treat patients who have failed in prior treatments.