Alcoholism drug prescriptions up to 12%

The number of prescriptions for medicines to treat alcoholism has risen by 12%, figures showed today.

More than 150,000 prescriptions for two drugs to treat withdrawal symptoms or induce sickness when alcohol is drunk were written in 2009, data for England revealed.

This is up 12% on the figure for 2008 and a 46% rise on the figure for 2003.

A new report from the NHS Information Centre puts the cost of the drugs at £2.38 million in 2009.

The first drug, Acamprosate Calcium, accounted for almost 95,000 prescriptions. It acts on the brain to help people cope with the withdrawal symptoms from stopping drinking.

Disulfiram (also called Antabuse), which makes people sick, made up just over 55,500 of the 150,445 items prescribed.

On average, 271 prescription items were dispensed for alcohol dependency per 100,000 people in England.

The figure was higher than the national average in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and East of England.

The figure was lowest in London.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: "This report shows a year-on-year increase in prescriptions being dispensed to help people battle their dependency on alcohol.

"The report also shows the burden alcohol places on the health service in England and will be of use to healthcare professionals as they try and plan how to tackle the issue."

Today's report also includes previously published data on people's drinking habits.

In 2008, there were 6,769 alcohol-related deaths, up 24% from 2001.

Of these, 4,400 were due to alcoholic liver disease.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: "You don't have to be dependent on alcohol to be drinking at levels that put your health at risk.

"More than one in five men and over one in 10 women are technically binge-drinking once a week and they probably don't even realise.

"It's shocking to discover that alcohol-related deaths are again on the increase - and, with a rise in prescription items dispensed to treat drink dependency, it's vital now, more than ever, that we act to educate people on the effects of drinking too much before more people come to harm."