ArticleJournal of behavioral addictions2018
The use of naltrexone in pathological and problem gambling: A UK case series.
Article in Journal of behavioral addictions, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pharmacological interventions for the treatment of disordered and problem gambling.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Off-label and investigational drugs in the treatment of gambling disorder: a critical review.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- Naltrexone for Acute Management of Compulsive Sexual and Obsessive Symptoms in a Patient With a Neurodevelopmental Disorder.Case reports in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Similarities and Differences in Neurobiology.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025Review
- Dopaminergic and Glutamatergic Mechanisms in Addiction: Assessing the Therapeutic Promise of Memantine and Galantamine for Maintenance Treatment: A Review.Alpha psychiatry · 2024Review
- Treatment of harmful gambling: a scoping review of United Kingdom-based intervention research.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- Review
- The role of contextual factors in avenues to recover from gambling disorder: a scoping review.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Genetic Addiction Risk and Psychological Profiling Analyses for "Preaddiction" Severity Index.Journal of personalized medicine · 2022Article
- Developmental Considerations for the Use of Naltrexone in Children and Adolescents.The journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics : JPPT : the official journal of PPAG · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsTo investigate the potential indications and adverse effects of using the opioid antagonist naltrexone to treat problem gamblers. CASE PRESENTATION: The files of the 1,192 patients who were referred to the National Problem Gambling Clinic between January 2015 and June 2016 were audited. Seventeen patients were considered appropriate for treatment with naltrexone, having attended and failed to respond to psychological therapies at the clinic. Fourteen patients were placed on a regimen of 50 mg/day naltrexone. DISCUSSION: Of the 14 patients who were treated with naltrexone, there were 10 for whom sufficient follow-up existed to analyze the treatment efficacy and side effects of naltrexone. Patients showed significant decreases in their craving to gamble and the majority (60%) were able to abstain completely from gambling in the treatment period, with a further 20% reducing their gambling to almost nothing. The reported side effects from the naltrexone included: loss of appetite, gastrointestinal pain, headaches, sedation, dizziness, and vivid dreams. Two patients with concurrent alcohol-use disorder relapsed during the treatment. One patient relapsed after the treatment period.
conclusionsThe study showed significant outcomes in reducing gambling cravings for the sample set. Given the design of the study as a case series, there was no control group, and a number of patients were on other psychotropic medications. We recommend care when prescribing to those suffering from concurrent alcohol-use disorder.
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