Disulfiram--sold under the brand name Antabuse--is a prescription medication that doctors use for the treatment of alcoholism. Despite its effectiveness at discouraging patients from drinking, disulfiram poses a risk for side effects.

Types

Disulfiram is meant to cause side effects when you consume alcohol while taking the drug, to discourage drinking. These side effects include blurred vision, chest pain, confusion, dizziness, fainting, rapid heartbeat, flushing, increased sweating, nausea, vomiting, severe headaches, difficulty breathing and headaches.

Time Frame

The side effects that develop from disulfiram typically last for 30 minutes to several hours, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Drug Interactions

The combination of the seizure medication phenytoin and disulfiram poses a risk for severe intoxication from the anti-seizure drug, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). When combined with blood-thinning medications such as warfarin, disulfiram poses a risk for prolonged or uncontrollable bleeding after an injury or surgery.

Risks

When large amounts of alcohol are consumed, disulfiram may cause heart attacks, unconsciousness, congestive heart failure, seizures and even death, warns the NLM. Other risks associated with use of the drug include nerve and liver inflammation--though rare, these may occur even without drinking alcohol.

Warning

To avoid an accidental alcohol and disulfiram reaction, avoid any product that contains alcohol, including sauces and vinegars, toiletries such as mouthwash or aftershave, cough syrups and fumes from paint thinner or varnish.

Considerations

If you have a history of asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, cirrhosis, kidney or liver disease, hypothyroidism, depression or mental illness, it may not be safe for you to take disulfiram, cautions the Mayo Clinic.

Source:

U.S. National Library of Medicine Daily Med: Antabuse (Disulfiram) tablet

Mayo Clinic: Disulfiram (Oral Route)