Guideline Statements

Document Overview

Design and created by Guideline Central in participation with the American Psychiatric Association.

Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder

American Psychiatric Association

Publication Date: Jan 1, 2018

Page Last Updated: May 6, 2026

Grading Recommendations

Grade	Description
1	Recommendation: indicates confidence that the benefits of the intervention clearly outweigh harms.
2	Suggestion: indicates greater uncertainty: although the benefits of the statement are still viewed as outweighing the harms, balance of benefits and harms is more difficult to judge, or the benefits or the harms may be less clear. With a suggestion, patient values and preferences may be more variable, and this can influence the clinical decision that is ultimately made.
Grade	Strength of Evidence
A	High: high confidence that the evidence reflects the true effect. Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
B	Moderate: moderate confidence that the evidence reflects the true effect. Further research may change our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
C	Low: low confidence that the evidence reflects the true effect. Further research is likely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.

Document Overview

Document Title: Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder

Authoring Society: American Psychiatric Association

Document Publication Date: Jan 1, 2018

Page Last Reviewed/Updated: May 6, 2026

Document Type: Guideline

Country of Publication: United States

Full Text Freely Available: Yes

Full Text Guideline: psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9781615371969

Supplemental Implementation Resources

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Scope: Assessment and Screening, Treatment

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D005235 - Fatty Liver, Alcoholic

D006519 - Hepatitis, Alcoholic

D000437 - Alcoholism

D005235 - Fatty Liver, Alcoholic

D006519 - Hepatitis, Alcoholic

D000437 - Alcoholism

Keywords: alcohol related disorders, alcohol use disorders, alcoholism, drug dependence

Inclusion Criteria: Male, Female, Adult, Older Adult

Health Care Settings: Ambulatory, Outpatient

Intended Users: Addiction Treatment Specialist, Counselor, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Physician Assistant, Psychologist

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology

Number of Source Documents: 489

Literature Search End Date: Sunday, April 24, 2016

Includes peer/external review process?: Yes

Includes public comment process?: No

Methodologist involvement?: Yes

Patient involvement?: No

Includes multi-disciplinary group?: Yes

Includes systematic review?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of evidence?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of recommendation?: Yes

Discloses funding source?: Yes

Discloses conflicts of interest?: Yes

Includes benefits/harms analysis with recommendations?: No

Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder

Guideline Statements

Assessment and Determination of Treatment Goals

Selection of a Pharmacotherapy

Recommendations Against Use of Specific Medications

Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Co-occurring Opioid Use Disorder

Grading Recommendations

Document Overview

Supplemental Implementation Resources

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology