A method of maintaining alcohol abstinence in a patient, comprising
- determining a dosage of GHB or a therapeutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient for a patient in need of alcohol abstinence, based on daily alcohol consumption of the patient and independent of a weight of the patient, and
- administering the determined dosage of the GHB or a therapeutically acceptable salt thereof to the patient,
- wherein the dosage comprises three unit doses of the GHB or a therapeutically acceptable salt thereof administered daily, each of the unit doses of the dosage comprising between 0.37 and 1.75 g of the active ingredient, and the active ingredient has an in vitro release higher than 85% in fifteen minutes.