Pharmacotherapeutic interventions in alcohol and illicit drug dependence

In this contribution we aim to describe the main current approaches to pharmacological treatments for alcohol and illicit drug dependence. Drug treatments in this field are used for a variety of reasons, broadly falling into the following categories: management of withdrawal syndromes; medium- to long-term substitute prescribing with harm reduction goals; maintenance of abstinence; and prevention of complications. For each treatment, where possible, we have given a brief outline of the current evidence base, derived mainly from a consensus review and evidence-based guidelines published on behalf of the British Association for Psychopharmacology.