Course Description
About AAPP Toolkits
AAPP toolkits highlight both the evidence base available as well as strategies of clinical decision making used by expert psychiatric pharmacist clinicians. The content reflects the views and practice of the authors as substantiated with evidence-based facts as well as opinion and experience. Toolkits are peer reviewed by psychiatric pharmacists. Authors and AAPP review and update toolkits annually and strive to use up-to-date, non-stigmatizing language. Terminology does evolve rapidly and often regionally such that there may be differences between reader experiences and expectations and those of the author(s). AAPP members receive complimentary, continuous access to toolkits. Non-members can purchase for a fee for a period of 3 months.
Long-term use of benzodiazepines has been known to produce complications related to discontinuation, withdrawal symptoms, increased risk of accidental overdose when combined with other central nervous system depressants, persistence of benzodiazepine related adverse-effects, physical dependence, and benzodiazepine use disorder.1-3 There were nearly 272,000 emergency department encounters within the United States involving nonmedical use of benzodiazepines in 2008. In many of these visits (40%), benzodiazepines were used in conjunction with alcohol.4 The number of nonmedical benzodiazepine emergency department visits increased to 426,000 in 2011. The use of alcohol was present in 24.2% of these visits.
Pharmacists can play a key role in providing education to patients and providers about the value of avoiding benzodiazepines, alternative, safer and more effective agents, and often in helping to directly or indirectly assist in the difficult process of tapering such agents. Contents include:
- Populations at Risk for Complications
- Screening and Diagnosis
- Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
- Tapering
- Special Populations
- Harm Reduction
- Clinical Pearls
- Authors’ Experience
- References
The Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering: Considerations When Risks Outweigh Benefits
This guideline is also a recommended read. Developed through a partnership of ten medical and professional societies (including AAPP), this 2025 guideline focuses on evidence-informed and consensus-based strategies to help clinicians determine whether tapering benzodiazepine medications may be appropriate for a given patient, and if so, how to taper them.