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| Pronunciation |
|
 (dye
SUL fi
ram) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Antabuse® |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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|
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Inhibitor |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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|
- If you have an allergy to disulfiram or any other part of the
medicine.
- If you have severe coronary artery disease or thinking disturbances
such as schizophrenia.
- If you drink alcohol, take any alcohol-containing medicines, or take
metronidazole.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
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|
- This medicine is used to help stop you from
drinking.
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| How does it work? |
|
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- Disulfiram changes the way the body handles alcohol. If you drink
alcohol, this medicine will cause side effects such as, flushing, headaches,
nausea, vomiting, chest pain and belly
pain.
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| How is it best taken? |
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|
- Tablet may be crushed and mixed with nonalcoholic
beverages.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra
doses.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
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|
- Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix
well with other medicines.
- You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities
until you see how this medicine affects you.
- Avoid all alcohol intake (includes wine, beer, liquor, liquid
medications, vinegar, and food with alcohol in it). Can cause a reaction that
includes rapid heartbeats, sweating, chest pain, flushing, headache, nausea,
shortness of breath, and low blood pressure.
- Limit caffeine (for example, tea, coffee, cola) and chocolate intake.
Use with this medicine may cause nervousness, shakiness, rapid heartbeats, and
anxiety.
- Do not take for at least 12 hours after drinking alcohol. Side effects
from drinking alcohol may occur for 2 weeks after disulfiram is stopped.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Drowsiness. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that
require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
- Headache. Mild pain medicine may help.
- Garlic or metallic taste.
- Rarely,serious liver problems. Some patients have needed liver
transplants. Some have died.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Make sure food and medicines do not have alcohol contained in them.
- Check liver function tests before starting medicine and about 2 weeks
after taking.
- Follow up with healthcare
provider.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
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- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- If alcohol is taken.
- Nausea, vomiting, belly pain, feeling tired, dark urine, yellow eyes
or skin, not hungry.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
|
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- Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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