[Benzodiazepines in blood samples of alcohol intoxicated drivers]

1,000 blood samples from drivers tested for alcohol were screened specifically for active constituents and metabolites of medicines of the benzodiazepine class. 42 blood samples contained benzodiazepines and a total of eight different active constituents were detected. The active constituents of Valium, Vegesan or Tranxilium, Lexotanil and Seresta have to be dealt with primarily. In addition to benzodiazepine 35 samples showed an alcohol level of over 0.08%. This raised the question of whether the benzodiazepine level measured in the blood samples would intensify the effect of the alcohol. Four categories were formed in order to be able to compare the levels of the various benzodiazepines. According to this categorisation the benzodiazepine concentration was classed as very high in 4 cases, high in 7 cases, moderate in 26 cases and low in 10 cases.