Excessive alcohol use is a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality. One in 20 deaths worldwide is attributable to alcohol consumption, as is 5.1% of the global burden of disease1. Alcohol dependence (AD), as defined by the Fourth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)2, is a serious psychiatric disorder characterized by tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control over drinking and excessive alcohol consumption despite negative health and social consequences. Among alcohol drinkers, 12% meet criteria for DSM-IV AD during their lifetimes3. In the United States, only 25% of those with AD ever receive treatment4.
