Baclofen for Alcohol Withdrawal

Key Takeaways

Baclofen is a muscle relaxer that is sometimes used off-label to treat cravings in people with alcohol use disorders. Diagnostic criteria for alcohol withdrawal syndrome are often based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), also known as the statistical manual of mental disorders, which provides standardized criteria for diagnosing alcohol use disorders and related conditions. The diagnostic and statistical manual is widely used as a standard for defining alcohol withdrawal syndrome in clinical and research settings.

Baclofen can be useful for treating some medical conditions and helpful for people recovering from alcohol abuse when they’re also closely monitored by a physician. During baclofen treatment for alcohol withdrawal, monitoring vital signs such as blood pressure is important, as elevated blood pressure can be a symptom of autonomic hyperarousal during withdrawal.

Baclofen can be dangerous in certain situations.

Medical Uses of Baclofen for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Baclofen is a muscle relaxer that’s approved by the FDA to treat muscle spasms associated with conditions including:

• Multiple sclerosis

• Huntington’s disease

• Spinal cord injuries

Oral baclofen is sometimes prescribed off-label to:

• Manage alcoholic liver disease

• Decrease cravings for alcohol

• Decrease alcohol-withdrawal-related anxiety as one of several pharmacological interventions for alcohol withdrawal

• Ease gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

• Treat cerebral palsy symptoms in children and adolescents

• Alleviate chronic hiccups

• Treat facial nerve pain

It’s well established that baclofen is effective at helping to alleviate pain, reduce muscle spasms, and allow for greater mobility. It works by depressing the central nervous system and relaxing your muscles. Baclofen acts as a GABA B receptor agonist, which helps restore calming neural effects and mitigate withdrawal symptoms. Typical dosages for oral baclofen range from 30 mg/day to 90 mg/day, depending on the condition being treated. Baclofen is not the first line of defense for certain issues, such as lower back pain, because of its potential for abuse and side effects. It’s usually prescribed for short-term use to minimize the risk of addiction.

Baclofen Adverse Effects

Whether you’ll tolerate baclofen varies on an individual basis. Higher doses or high-dose baclofen may increase the risk of side effects, so careful monitoring is important. Potential side effects include:

• Confusion

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Headache

• Nausea

• Sweating

• Trouble sleeping

• Weakness

• Overly tired

In clinical trials, the incidence of these adverse events is often reported as one of the primary outcomes to assess the safety and tolerability of baclofen for alcohol withdrawal.

Potential Dangers of Baclofen

Studies have shown that baclofen can be useful in treating alcohol withdrawal, including severe cases such as delirium tremens. However, there is much debate over how effective baclofen is for long-term treatment of alcohol use disorders, including alcohol dependence as a clinical diagnosis. Some healthcare professionals argue that it can become addictive. Regardless of short- or long-term use, research shows that baclofen in combination with active, heavy drinking can be dangerous.

Baclofen is sometimes considered safer than other medications for patients with liver cirrhosis, making it a potential option for those with compromised liver function. When treating alcohol withdrawal, co-occurring mental disorders can complicate the use of baclofen and require careful assessment.

Mixing Alcohol and Baclofen

Under the supervision of a physician and taken as prescribed, baclofen can be safely used to treat alcohol use disorders. Baclofen is sometimes prescribed to reduce alcohol intake, but mixing it with alcohol can negate this treatment effect. But taking baclofen with alcohol can have serious side effects. Mixing baclofen and alcohol is a dangerous and sometimes deadly combination.

Combining alcohol and baclofen can:

• Impair motor function

• Decrease cognitive abilities

• Cause extreme sedation

• Lead to addiction

• Cause overdose and death

Studies have not found a significant difference in risk reduction when baclofen is used improperly with alcohol, highlighting the importance of following medical guidance.

It is imperative to seek help if you abuse both substances.

Why Do People Mix Alcohol Consumption and Baclofen?

Baclofen and alcohol are both depressants. Depressants lower the neurotransmission levels in your brain, which creates a mellow, relaxed feeling. Some people like the feeling of lowered inhibitions from alcohol together with muscle relaxation from baclofen.

People may mix baclofen and alcohol because a doctor prescribed baclofen for alcohol withdrawal. Baclofen can ease alcohol withdrawal symptoms. In both research and clinical practice, the severity of alcohol withdrawal is often measured using standardized tools such as an alcohol scale or the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA-Ar). This helps guide treatment decisions and assess outcomes. This sometimes gives people the misconception that they can drink heavily and not have a hangover or overdose.

Any combination of alcohol and baclofen can be dangerous. Combining the two or mixing alcohol and Xanax can be even more critical when used to create a pleasurable effect. This can lead to addiction and consuming more substantial quantities of both substances. In research on why people mix these substances, careful data collection is essential to understand patterns, relapse rates, and adverse events.

Side effects of mixing baclofen and alcohol include:

• Extreme drowsiness

• Dizziness

• Higher risk of seizures

• Higher risk of overdose

• Dangerously slow breathing

• Impaired motor control

• Unusual behavior

• Memory problems

A significant effect when you combine alcohol and baclofen is motor impairment and lack of coordination. Taking alcohol and baclofen together can make it difficult to walk or even stand up. This can lead to falls and serious injuries.

Impairment of motor skills can make it dangerous to operate a vehicle or machinery. When used alone, both alcohol and baclofen cause adverse effects on reaction time and decision-making. Mixing the two makes these problems worse. Getting behind the wheel can be hazardous and even deadly.

The intense sedation effects of combining the two puts you at higher risk for overdose. Combining the two substances can depress your breathing and cause:

• Cardiac arrest

• Overdose

• Death

If taken in high quantities, baclofen can lead to overdose. Baclofen overdose symptoms include:

• Blurred vision

• Convulsions

• Trouble breathing

• Severe weakness

• Muscle pain

• Pale or blue lips

Baclofen and Alcohol Dependence

Muscle relaxers can be addictive. If you take them in large quantities, you may develop a tolerance to their effects and therefore use more. You can also become psychologically addicted to the feeling from the drug’s effects and take more to achieve that feeling.

Abusing baclofen and abusing alcohol puts you at a higher risk for addiction. Alcohol alone affects your ability to think clearly. The inability to make smart choices when intoxicated can make it easier to use another drug or consume more than usual. These behaviors increase the risk of addiction.

A randomized, controlled study found that  baclofen’s efficacy in reducing alcohol consumption and helping people remain alcohol abstinent is typically 30 to 90 mg a day for women and 90 mg a day for men. Using more than these baclofen doses as prescribed by your doctor is problematic.

Studies compared baclofen to placebo and other medications, including randomised controlled trials with both placebo groups and diazepam groups. Baclofen compared to other treatments has been evaluated for efficacy and safety, often using dosages measured in mg/day. Preclinical studies using alcohol preferring rats have also investigated baclofen’s effects on alcohol consumption. These studies typically require informed consent from participants and report on demographic characteristics to ensure proper subgroup analysis. When interpreting results, missing data, risk ratio, and 95% CI are important considerations. A robust search strategy and awareness of potential reporting bias are essential in systematic reviews of baclofen for alcohol withdrawal.

People who abuse alcohol and baclofen may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop these substances, which is another sign of addiction. Alcohol and baclofen withdrawal symptoms may include:

• Hallucinations

• Seizures

• Breathing problems

• Mental disturbances

• Aggravation of spastic conditions

• Insomnia

• Cravings

• Irritability

• Angry outbursts

• Tremors

• Severe anxiety

You should never attempt to detox from baclofen and alcohol on your own. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can become severe and even lead to death. Undergoing medical detox with the help of physicians and detox specialists is the safest way to eliminate these substances from your body.