Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK

It may have taken a back seat to the overdose crisis, but more than three times as many people died of alcohol than opioids in BC in 2019.

Also flying under the radar amid the poisoned drug supply state of emergency declared in 2016 and the response of legalized drug use, is that we have legal drugs to treat alcoholism that are rarely being used.

That’s according to a study published this week in the journal Addiction.

“These findings suggest that, despite clinical guidelines and best practices, alcohol use disorder is under-treated, leaving individuals without access to effective treatments that can improve their health and wellbeing,” Dr. Eugenia Socías, lead author of the study and a research scientist with the BC Centre on Substance Use, said in a news release.

The researchers studied a random sample of 7,231 BC residents between 2015 and 2019. While that makes the data a little dated, it is the first study of its kind in the province.

It found that only 5% of those who qualified for treatment actually received the drugs for the minimum recommended time of three months.

“That same year (2019), the rate of hospitalizations entirely caused by alcohol was similar to those for heart attack and three to four times higher than those caused by opioids or cannabis, with alcohol being entirely responsible for more than 3,200 deaths," the news release says.

In 2019, the BC Coroners Office reported 987 deaths from illicit drugs. That number climbed to 2,272 last year.

READ MORE: Kelowna on track for new illicit drug supply death record

The three most common drugs used to treat what the study calls alcohol use disorder are Acamprosate, Naltrexone, and Disulfiram, some of which have been available for decades.

“Acamprosate is likely the most used medication in the United States for alcohol abuse treatment and is even more common in dozens of countries around the world,” says an Addiction Centre website.

It reduces the brain’s dependence on alcohol and helps modulate brain activity that has been disrupted when a person stops drinking.

Most of its side effects are mild and tend to subside with longer treatment, which makes it a popular alternative.

Addiction Centre, on its website, says it’s been an online information guide since 2014 and is owned by Recovery Worldwide, an information marketing umbrella for several addiction recovery properties.

Naltrexone was initially used to treat opioid addiction. Users taking Naltrexone no longer get the pleasurable sensations associated with the opioid.

“The brain interacts with alcohol in a very similar manner to how it reacts with opioids,” according to Addiction Center. “Naltrexone also suppresses the euphoria and pleasurable sensations of alcohol. Alcoholics no longer receive a ‘reward’ for drinking once they are on Naltrexone and are therefore less likely to continue consumption.”

The problem is that Naltrexone is not sufficient on its own since it doesn’t reduce the cravings for alcohol or reduce withdrawal symptoms. It’s most effective when taken with other medications, therapy and/or counselling.

It, too, has few and mild side effects but may cause liver damage at high doses, the website says.

“Disulfiram works by interfering with the body’s digestion and absorption of alcohol, creating a series of highly unpleasant reactions in the process,” Addiction Center says. “When an individual who is taking Disulfiram consumes alcohol, they will begin to experience flushing of the skin, nausea and vomiting (sometimes violent), headaches, sweating, weakness and higher blood pressure.”

While it doesn’t actually reduce the craving for alcohol, the reactions it creates are so severe that people on it tend to choose to remain sober.

It has been used in the U.S. for more than 65 year, Addiction Centre says.

Yet, despite the long history of effective treatment of alcoholism through drugs, BC doctors have yet to get on board.

“Healthcare providers should be trained to talk to patients about their alcohol use regularly to ensure early diagnosis alongside offering evidence-based medications as part of their treatment,” Dr. Seonaid Nolan, the study’s co-author and head of Providence Health Care’s Division of Addiction at St. Paul’s Hospital, said in the news release.

The full study can be seen here.

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