This review has some limitations. First, the literature on medications to treat AUD is limited. Except for naltrexone and acamprosate, the number of RCTs testing the efficacy of medications for AUD is inadequate to draw firm conclusions. Second, randomized trials have not evaluated the optimal duration of treatment for any medication. Third, randomized trials have not evaluated use of a stepped approach or combination therapy for a patient with a partial or non-response to treatment. Fourth, this review is based largely on meta-analyses, and although they provide the broadest coverage of the literature, the outcomes used to evaluate therapies differ across studies (e.g., NNT, different measures of effect size), making comparisons across medications difficult and limiting their clinical applicability.
