Systematic Review: Cure for hangovers

admin · Dec 26, 2005

Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
Given the season, this is timely from the latest BMJ:

Interventions for preventing or treating alcohol hangover: systematic review of randomised controlled trials
BMJ 2005;331:1515-1518 (24 December)

Objective To assess the clinical evidence on the effectiveness of any medical intervention for preventing or treating alcohol hangover.

Data sources Systematic searches on Medline, Embase, Amed, Cochrane Central, the National Research Register (UK), and ClincalTrials.gov (USA); hand searches of conference proceedings and bibliographies; contact with experts and manufacturers of commercial preparations. Language of publication was not restricted.

Study selection and data extraction All randomised controlled trials of any medical intervention for preventing or treating alcohol hangover were included. Trials were considered if they were placebo controlled or controlled against a comparator intervention. Titles and abstracts of identified articles were read and hard copies were obtained. The selection of studies, data extraction, and validation were done independently by two reviewers. The Jadad score was used to evaluate methodological quality.

Results Fifteen potentially relevant trials were identified. Seven publications failed to meet all inclusion criteria. Eight randomised controlled trials assessing eight different interventions were reviewed. The agents tested were propranolol, tropisetron, tolfenamic acid, fructose or glucose, and the dietary supplements Borago officinalis (borage), Cynara scolymus (artichoke), Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear), and a yeast based preparation. All studies were double blind. Significant intergroup differences for overall symptom scores and individual symptoms were reported only for tolfenamic acid, linolenic acid from B officinalis, and a yeast based preparation.

Conclusion No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover. The most effective way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol induced hangover is to practise abstinence or moderation.
Click to expand...

admin Administrator Staff Member

Onychomycosis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Mycological Cure

Topical Medications for Treating Diabetic Foot Ulcers - A Systematic Review

Management of plantar heel pain: a best practice guide informed by a systematic review, expert clini

What are Systematic Reviews ?

Foot orthoses for plantar heel pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Systematic Review on Plantar Fasciitis

Systematic Review of Treatments for Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

Share This Page