Knowra Disulfiram Disulfiram Disulfiram is a medication used to support treatment of alcohol use disorder. It inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase, causing acetaldehyde to accumulate and produce unpleasant effects when alcohol is consumed.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase : A family of enzymes that converts aldehydes, including acetaldehyde, into carboxylic acids. Disulfiram inhibits this enzyme, allowing acetaldehyde to build up after alcohol intake.
Alcohol use disorder : A medical condition marked by impaired control over alcohol use and continued drinking despite significant harm. Disulfiram is used as one option within treatment for this condition.
Alcohol abstinence : Complete avoidance of alcoholic beverages and other sources of ethanol. Disulfiram is intended to support abstinence, not make drinking safer.
Erik Jacobsen : A Danish pharmacologist associated with the discovery of disulfiram’s alcohol-sensitizing effects. Jacobsen helped investigate the reaction that led to disulfiram’s use in alcohol treatment.
Benzodiazepine : A class of sedative medications used for conditions including anxiety, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal. Benzodiazepines manage acute withdrawal, whereas disulfiram is used to support longer-term abstinence.
Acetaldehyde : A reactive chemical formed when the body metabolizes ethanol and normally converted into acetate. Its accumulation drives the characteristic alcohol–disulfiram reaction.
Medication-assisted treatment : Treatment that combines medications with other forms of care for substance use disorders. Disulfiram is one medication option, generally used alongside psychosocial support.
Medication contraindication : A condition or circumstance in which a treatment should not be used because its risks outweigh its benefits. Some health conditions and circumstances make disulfiram inappropriate or require special caution.
Jens Hald : A Danish physician who, with Erik Jacobsen, identified disulfiram’s alcohol-related effects. Hald shared the investigation that established the drug’s distinctive reaction with alcohol.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome : A group of symptoms that can occur when a person with physical alcohol dependence reduces or stops drinking. Disulfiram does not treat withdrawal and should not substitute for medically supervised detoxification.
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