The benefits and the disadvantages with benzodiazepines have been vividly discussed, often not with the best of the patients in focus. The WPA Task Force on Benzodiazepines has agreed that there are some risks but also advantages with this group of drugs. The use must refer to what other ...
When benzodiazepine treatment is stopped abruptly, patients may develop withdrawal symptoms. Factors that increase the risk and severity of withdrawal symptoms include high doses and long-term benzodiazepine use. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms tend to occur earlier with benzodiazepines with short eliminati...
Long-Term Side Effects Long-term use of benzodiazepines may trigger a worsening of side effects and, in some cases, paradoxical side effects, meaning that you may experience an opposite response to the drug than you previously had. Some of these side effects can adversely affect your mood and...
Benzodiazepine anxiolytics and hypnotics have undoubted efficacy, although it can be difficult to distinguish between a substantial nonspecific (placebo) effect and true pharmacodynamic drug effects. Response to benzodiazepines is prompt. However, in the long term, efficacy wanes and becomes difficult to ...
Objectives Increasing evidence points to the harmful effects of long‐term benzodiazepine treatment. Our objective was to study the incidence of, and predictors for, long‐term use of benzodiazepines and Z‐drugs in bipolar disorder. Methods We conducted a population‐based cohort study, using data ...
However, with long -term use, tolerance, dependence and withdrawal effects become major disadvantages. This leads to their continuing use without accepted medical indications and is more appropriately labeled benzodiazepine abuse. In most cases, this can be treated with gradual dose reduction along ...
Schweizer E, Rickels K, Case WG, Greenblatt DJ (1991) Carbamazepine treatment in patients discontinuing long-term benzodiazepine therapy: effects on withdrawal severity and outcome. Arch Gen Psychiatry 48(5):448–452 Google Scholar Short- and Long-Term Use of Benzodiazepines in Patients with Genera...
Benzodiazepines have few effects on physical function, few drug interactions and are fairly safe in overdose. On discontinuation after short term use, some rebound of the disorder for which the agents were prescribed may occur. After long term use, up to a third of patients will show a ...
F. (2004). Cognitive effects of long-term benzodiazepine use. A meta-analysis. CNS Drugs, 18, 37–48. Article PubMed Google Scholar Bourin, M., & Lambert, O. (2002). Pharmacotherapy of anxious disorders. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 17, 383–400. Article Google ...
This drug is best reserved for situations in which rapid onset is not essential and long-term sedation is anticipated. Midazolam has the shortest t1/2 of the commonly used BZs, generates few active metabolites, and is water soluble at physiologic pH. Thus, it is well suited for continuous ...