acamprosate calcium at a glance
Medicine class
A treatment used in alcohol dependence to support abstinence.
Form
Gastro-resistant or enteric-coated tablets that must be swallowed whole.
Kidney function
Renal function is important because acamprosate is eliminated in urine and is contraindicated above the product-specific creatinine threshold.
What is acamprosate calcium used for?
Licensed to help maintain abstinence in alcohol-dependent adults after withdrawal, alongside counselling.
Maintenance of abstinence following alcohol withdrawal.
How does acamprosate calcium work?
Its precise mechanism is not fully established. It appears to modulate the imbalance between excitatory glutamate signalling and inhibitory signalling that can follow long-term alcohol exposure.
acamprosate calcium preparations and strengths
Gastro-resistant tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 333 mg
How to take acamprosate calcium
Follow the product label and prescriber’s instructions. Take the tablets with meals and swallow them whole with water.
Do not chew or crush them because this can damage their protective coating.
Take them consistently in relation to food.
acamprosate calcium side effects
Common or expected effects
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or wind
- Itching or a blotchy raised rash
- Reduced sex drive or sexual difficulties
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction, including facial or throat swelling, breathing difficulty or collapse
- Blistering skin eruption
- New or worsening suicidal thoughts or behaviour
acamprosate calcium in pregnancy
Experience in pregnancy is limited, so safety cannot be confirmed. A specialist should weigh the uncertain risk against the established risks of harmful alcohol consumption. It may be considered when abstinence cannot otherwise be maintained.
acamprosate calcium while breastfeeding
The selected products contraindicate acamprosate during breastfeeding because transfer into human milk and effects on infants are uncertain. The prescriber should discuss whether breastfeeding or acamprosate needs to stop.
acamprosate calcium interactions
Acamprosate has relatively few established interactions, but product information differs. Review all prescribed, non-prescription and herbal products.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The generic product warns that competition for renal secretion could cause a clinically relevant interaction.
Naltrexone
Combined use increased acamprosate exposure in a pharmacokinetic study; naltrexone exposure was unaffected.
Diltiazem
The generic product warns that combined use may worsen angina.
Diuretics
Common questions about acamprosate calcium
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Does acamprosate calcium treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms?
No. It supports abstinence after withdrawal and does not treat acute alcohol withdrawal.
Does it make someone ill if they drink alcohol?
It does not cause the deliberate alcohol reaction associated with disulfiram. However, it does not protect against alcohol-related harm, and continued drinking reduces its therapeutic benefit.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.