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The source for the data below is the OECD Health Statistics 2018, released by the OECD in June 2018 and updated on 8 November 2018. [1]The unit of measurement used by the OECD is defined daily dose (DDD), defined as "the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used on its main indication in adults". [2]
Long-acting benzodiazepines with long-acting active metabolites, such as diazepam and chlordiazepoxide, are often prescribed for benzodiazepine or alcohol withdrawal as well as for anxiety if constant dose levels are required throughout the day. Shorter-acting benzodiazepines are often preferred for insomnia due to their lesser hangover effect.
Benzodiazepine drugs are substituted 1,4-benzodiazepines, although the chemical term can refer to many other compounds that do not have useful pharmacological properties. Different benzodiazepine drugs have different side groups attached to this central structure.
Effects of long-term benzodiazepine use may include disinhibition, impaired concentration and memory, depression, [19] [20] as well as sexual dysfunction. [6] [21] The long-term effects of benzodiazepines may differ from the adverse effects seen after acute administration of benzodiazepines. [22]
[42] [43] The effectiveness of taking benzodiazepines along with antipsychotic medication is unknown, and more research is needed to determine if benzodiazepines are more effective than antipsychotics when urgent sedation is required. [43] Hyperekplexia [44] Many forms of parasomnia and other sleep disorders are treated with clonazepam. [45]
Below, see how many patients can potentially be prescribed buprenorphine by certified doctors in each state, compared to the number of people suffering from opiate-related addictions. Sources: Drug Enforcement Administration, American Journal of Public Health , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This can lead to benzodiazepines being taken for longer than originally intended, as people continue to take the drugs over a long period of time to suppress withdrawal symptoms. Some people use benzodiazepines at very high doses and devote a lot of time to doing so, satisfying the diagnostic criteria in DSM V for substance use disorder.
However, combinations of high doses of benzodiazepines with alcohol, barbiturates, opioids or tricyclic antidepressants are particularly dangerous, and may lead to severe complications such as coma or death. In 2013, benzodiazepines were involved in 31% of the estimated 22,767 deaths from prescription drug overdose in the United States. [5]