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Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome (BZD withdrawal) is the cluster of signs and symptoms that may emerge when a person who has been taking benzodiazepines as prescribed develops a physical dependence on them and then reduces the dose or stops taking them without a safe taper schedule. Typically, benzodiazepine withdrawal is characterized by ...
The term benzodiazepine is the chemical name for the heterocyclic ring system (see figure to the right), which is a fusion between the benzene and diazepine ring systems. [197] Under Hantzsch–Widman nomenclature, a diazepine is a heterocycle with two nitrogen atoms, five carbon atom and the maximum possible number of cumulative double bonds.
Finally, note that the benzodiazepine core is a privileged scaffold, which has been used to derive drugs with diverse activity that is not limited to the GABA A modulatory action of the classical benzodiazepines, [60] such as devazepide and tifluadom, however these have not been included in the list below. 2,3-benzodiazepines such as tofisopam ...
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]
Benzodiazepines can be addictive and induce dependence even at low doses, with 23% becoming addicted within 3 months of use. Benzodiazepine addiction is considered a public health problem. Approximately 68.5% of prescriptions of benzodiazepines originate from local health centers, with psychiatry and general hospitals accounting for 10% each.
Generally, tapering is done to avoid or minimize withdrawal symptoms that arise from neurobiological adaptation to the drug. [1] [2] Prescribed psychotropic drugs that may require tapering due to this physical dependence include opioids, [3] [4] [5] selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, [6] antipsychotics, [7] anticonvulsants, [8] and ...
To minimise the risk of physical/psychological dependence, lorazepam is best used only short-term, at the smallest effective dose. If any benzodiazepine has been used long-term, the recommendation is a gradual dose taper over weeks, months, or longer, according to dose and duration of use, the degree of dependence and the individual.
The CIWA scale is validated and has high inter-rater reliability. A randomized, double blind trial published in JAMA in 1994 [5] showed that management for alcohol withdrawal that was guided by the CIWA scale resulted in decreased treatment duration and total use of benzodiazepines. The goal of the CIWA scale is to provide an efficient and ...