Surviving Benzodiazepines: A Patient's and Clinician's Perspectives
Carrie M Silvernail1, Steven L Wright2
1Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices, 3221 NE 30th Ave, Portland, OR, 97212, USA.
Advances in Therapy
|March 3, 2022
Summary
Long-term benzodiazepine use can lead to adverse effects. Patient-led, slow tapering is crucial for discontinuation due to insufficient research and varied individual experiences.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Patient Experience
- Clinical Practice
Background:
- Benzodiazepines have been widely prescribed for decades.
- Research on long-term use and discontinuation remains limited.
- Patient narratives offer valuable insights into adverse effects and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experience of long-term benzodiazepine use and discontinuation.
- To highlight the importance of patient-centered approaches in benzodiazepine deprescribing.
- To inform clinical practice regarding benzodiazepine initiation and management.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of a single case study.
- Integration of patient and clinician perspectives.
- Focus on the journey of benzodiazepine initiation, adverse consequences, and discontinuation.
Main Results:
- Long-term benzodiazepine use can result in significant adverse consequences.
- A slow, patient-led tapering process is essential for successful discontinuation.
- Individual patient experiences are highly variable and should guide treatment.
Conclusions:
- Limited initiation and short duration (2-4 weeks) of benzodiazepine use are recommended.
- Patient expertise derived from lived experience is paramount in deprescribing decisions.
- Further research is needed to support evidence-based benzodiazepine discontinuation protocols.
More Related Videos
07:02A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development
Published on: February 11, 2019
10.0K
09:29Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods
Published on: August 4, 2022
2.3K
Related Concept Videos
01:14CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
523
CNS depressants include drugs from the category of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. They are valuable medications for managing anxiety disorders and insomnia. Barbiturates, once used to induce and maintain sleep, have been replaced mainly by benzodiazepines due to barbiturate's toxicity, tolerance, and overdose risks. They interact with GABAA receptors, leading to sedation at low doses and potentially coma and death at higher doses. Phenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, possesses...
523
01:29Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
1.4K
Benzodiazepines are a class of anxiolytic drugs known for their rapid efficacy and high therapeutic-to-lethal dose ratio, but with a potential risk of drug dependence. These drugs are lipophilic, allowing for rapid absorption after oral administration, eventually reaching the central nervous system (CNS). Once in the CNS, benzodiazepines bind to the allosteric site of the GABAA receptor. This binding enhances the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter GABA. By doing so, they prevent...
1.4K
01:19Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
413
Benzodiazepines have both sedative and hypnotic properties. They include compounds such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Structurally, their cores are similar, consisting of the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring, but they share a common mechanism of action in the central nervous system (CNS).
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
413
01:26Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
559
Anxiolytic drugs are vital in managing anxiety disorders by effectively alleviating symptoms such as excessive fear, tachycardia, and tremors. There are several classes of anxiolytic medications, each with unique mechanisms of action and potential side effects.
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic...
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic...
559
01:28Drug Therapy
110
The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications
Antianxiety Medications
110
01:23Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
752
Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
752