Effects of combined alcohol and benzodiazepine: a review

Both human and animal studies relating to the combined effects of alcohol and benzodiazepine (BZD) are reviewed. Although the combination of alcohol and BZD is sometimes associated with drug-induced deaths, drug overdoses and traffic accidents or fatalities, epidemiological information is lacking on the true extent of the combined abuse and on the patterns and prevalence of use of these two drugs. Since BZD are widely used for the short- and long-term treatment of alcoholics, these patients are deemed more at risk of developing BZD or alcohol/BZD dependence than the general population. There is a dire need for large-scale controlled studies concerning the efficacy of BZD in the long-term treatment of alcoholics. Compared to men, women are at a higher risk as far as the potential for BZD addiction is concerned, since they tend to use BZD more often. Epidemiologic studies on the patterns of use of BZD, alcohol or alcohol/BZD in pregnant women are called for. Animal models are also needed to ascertain whether prenatal exposure to both alcohol and BZD can impart long-lasting behavioral changes in the progeny. It is possible that BZD can exacerbate the damaging prenatal effects of alcohol.