Substance use disorders (SUD) are under-recognized in the elderly. This
chapter will discuss the drugs currently used for the treatment of SUD. For the sake of
simplicity, clinical descriptions will be avoided and the focus will be placed almost
exclusively on the drugs used to treat these conditions. Those are a heterogeneous group
of agents with products exclusively or mainly used to treat SUD and other compounds
and agents used in other indications. The lack of studies focused on elderly populations
call for a cautious, careful use of pharmacological agents, which must always be
accompanied by psychosocial approaches.
Keywords: Acamprosate, Alcohol use disorders, Alcohol withdrawal syndrome,
Benzodiazepine dependence, Benzodiazepines, Bupropion sustained-release,
Carbamazepine, Chlormethiazole, Cyanamide, Cytisine, Disulfiram, Maintenance
treatment, Nalmefene, Naltrexone, Nicotine replacement therapy, Nortriptyline,
Opioid analgesics, Opioid, Dependence, Psychosocial treatments, Self-harm,
SSRI, Tiapride, Tobacco Cessation, Topiramate, Varenicline.
