Risks of Benzodiazepines

What are Benzodiazepines (BZDs)?
Benzodiazepines are medications that lower the activity of the nerves in the brain and cause you to be drowsy.1
 
Key Facts
  • Benzodiazepines should be used carefully under close direction of a prescriber.
  • Not using benzodiazepines for the right reason or using them for too long can lead to dependence, addiction, severe side effects, or even death.
  • Stopping benzodiazepines should be done by slowly lowering the dose over weeks to months with careful direction from a prescriber to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
References
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  2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Prescription CNS Depressants. NIDA. 2018 Mar 6 [cited 2018 Sep 4].
  3. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia) in adults: management in primary, secondary and community care. 2011.
  4. American Geriatrics Society 2023 updated AGS Beers Criteria® for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. J Am Geriatrics Soc. 2023 Jul;71(7):2052-2081. Wiley. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18372.
  5. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Types of Medications. [cited 2018-09-04]. In: NAMI.
  6. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Benzodiazepines and Opioids. [cited 2018 Sep 4]. In: NIDA [Internet]. 2018 Mar 15. Available from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/benzodiazepines-opioids
  7. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Drug Safety and Availability. [cited 2018/10/29]. In: FDA.
  8. McAuliffe W, Dunn RP, Zhang C. An Integrated Substance Abuse Treatment Needs Assessment for Alaska: Executive Summary from Final Report. PsycEXTRA Dataset. 2002. American Psychological Association (APA). DOI: 10.1037/e360892004-001.
  9. GUINA J, ROSSETTER SR, DeRHODES BJ, NAHHAS RW, WELTON RS. Benzodiazepines for PTSD. J Psychiatric Pract. 2015 Jul;21(4):281-303. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000091.
  10. FDA Drug Safety Communication. n.d. [cited 2022 Jun 3].
  11. Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310654/
  12. GUINA J, ROSSETTER SR, DeRHODES BJ, NAHHAS RW, WELTON RS. Benzodiazepines for PTSD. J Psychiatric Pract. 2015 Jul;21(4):281-303. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000091.
  13. GUINA J, ROSSETTER SR, DeRHODES BJ, NAHHAS RW, WELTON RS. Benzodiazepines for PTSD. J Psychiatric Pract. 2015 Jul;21(4):281-303. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000091.