Clonidine in alcohol withdrawal: a pilot study of differential symptom responses following i.v. clonidine

The effects of an i.v. bolus of clonidine (1.5 mg/kg) on withdrawal symptoms were studied in 7 male alcoholics, and compared with 7 normal controls. Clonidine reduced both subjective and objective measures of withdrawal but this only reached significance for scores of depression and muscle tension. In comparison with controls alcoholics in withdrawal showed reduced sedative effects of clonidine.