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Improved reaction times were noted at 52 weeks in elderly patients free from benzodiazepines. This is an important function in the elderly, especially if they drive a car due to the increased risk of road traffic accidents in benzodiazepine users. [136] At the 24-week follow-up, 80% of people had successfully withdrawn from benzodiazepines.
Drug Name Common Trade Names [a] Year Approved Typical Oral Dosage Formulations (mg) Approx. Equivalent Oral Dose to 10 mg Diazepam [b] (mg) Peak Onset of Action (hours) Elimination Half-life of Active Metabolite (hours) Primary Therapeutic Use Adinazolam: Deracyn: Research chemical: 1–2: 3: anxiolytic, antidepressant: Alprazolam
Therapeutic dose dependence is the largest category of people dependent on benzodiazepines. These individuals typically do not escalate their doses to high levels and generally use their medication as intended by their prescriber. Smaller groups include patients escalating their dosage to higher levels and drug misusers as well.
Sedation is the side effect people taking lorazepam most frequently report. In a group of around 3,500 people treated for anxiety, the most common side effects complained of from lorazepam were sedation (15.9%), dizziness (6.9%), weakness (4.2%), and unsteadiness (3.4%). Side effects such as sedation and unsteadiness increased with age. [61]
Supportive care is the mainstay of treatment of benzodiazepine overdose. There is an antidote, flumazenil, but its use is controversial. [2] Deaths from single-drug benzodiazepine overdoses occur infrequently, [3] particularly after the point of hospital admission. [4]
A study found that of 42 patients treated with alprazolam, up to a third of long-term users of the benzodiazepine drug alprazolam develop depression. [40] Studies have shown that long-term use of benzodiazepines and the benzodiazepine receptor agonist nonbenzodiazepine Z drugs are associated with causing depression as well as a markedly raised ...
Oxazepam and lorazepam are often used in patients at risk of drug accumulation, in particular, the elderly and those with cirrhosis, because they are metabolized differently from other benzodiazepines, through conjugation. [56] [57]
Benzodiazepine use disorder (BUD), also called misuse or abuse, [1] is the use of benzodiazepines without a prescription and/or for recreational purposes, which poses risks of dependence, withdrawal and other long-term effects.