[Ambulatory, disulfiram-(Antabuse)-assisted management of the alcoholic patient]

The treatment of patients suffering from alcoholism is notoriously difficult. Ambulatory supportive therapy using disulfiram and supervised by the practicing physician has many advantages. Foremost among these is the maintenance of the patient within his working and social environment. For achievement of longterm abstinence, psychological aspects (patients motivation and agreement, understanding care by the physician) may be more important than the aversive effects of disulfiram. Although disulfiram is generally a safe drug, careful preliminary work-up represents the key to proper assessment of risk versus benefit.