Benzodiazepine Discontinuation Associated With Increased Mortality in Patients on Stable, Long-Term Benzodiazepines

Content

The dangers of Xanax misuse and addiction
Alcohol withdrawal
Causes & Risk Factors
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal and Detox

These are a normal part of the body’s stress response, said Merrill, not something that is dangerous or harmful. The drug works by slowing the activity in the brain, which promotes relaxation in the body and a reduction in anxious thoughts. Prescription opiates include codeine, morphine and oxycodone, typically prescribed to manage pain. Opiate withdrawal is rarely life-threatening but it can be extremely uncomfortable.

For those with opioid exposure, incidence of mortality rose to 6.3% for discontinuers vs 3.9% for continuers, a 2.4% higher absolute risk of mortality in the discontinuers. The relative 12-month mortality risk was 1.6 times higher for discontinuers vs continuers. ARDs in ED visits were larger; 6.1% for those without opioid exposure and 9.1% for those with opioid exposure. Discontinuation was also linked to a small increase in absolute risks of nonfatal overdose (0.1% vs 0.4%) and suicidal ideation (0.3% vs 0.4%) among those individuals without opioid exposure vs those with opioid exposure.

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Women are more susceptible to BZD overuse because they are more likely to be prescribed than men 29.
Most IOP programs offer a mix of psychiatric medication (if needed), urine drug tests, recovery skills groups, and individual counseling or case management.
Lorazepam and other benzodiazepines can cause physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms, even when taken as directed.
For patients who do not want to use medications, cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation therapy have been shown to be effective; however the combination may work best.
Nayzilam is approved by the FDA to be used in patients 12 years of age and older, and Valtoco in used in people 6 years and older.

This can be linked to addiction as the patient is not just psychologically addicted to the substance, which amphetamine addiction treatment can be seen with cravings, and physical addiction. Withdrawal, like with alcohol since they exert their effects on similar receptors, can be life threatening. Withdrawal occurs as the BZD concentration in blood and tissue declines, generally causing symptoms opposite to that of the drug’s therapeutic effects. These symptoms may last for one to a few weeks after cessation, with duration and severity largely depending upon the amount of time spent chronically taking the BZD, the half-life of the specific BZD, and the daily dose consumed 26. Benzodiazepine abuse is common in those on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), so special consideration must be taken for those withdrawing from the drugs while on MMT 68. These patients are more likely to die from methadone toxicity because of the synergistic effects of methadone and BZD 68.

The dangers of Xanax misuse and addiction

They can also recommend switching you to longer-acting benzodiazepines, which are less likely to cause withdrawal symptoms. All medications have risks that should be discussed with a doctor or healthcare professional to determine if the potential benefits outweigh the risks. The most common side effects of benzodiazepines are drowsiness and dizziness. Confusion, blurred vision, incoordination, nausea, and memory impairment are also possible. Next-day grogginess or “hangover effect” is common with long-acting benzodiazepines, which limits their usefulness for treating insomnia. Older adults are more sensitive to all of these side effects and should not be prescribed long-acting benzodiazepines.

“Management of benzodiazepine misuse and dependence.” Australian prescriber vol.
Other studies have shown that there is no correlation between BZD use and cognitive decline.
Due to their toxic effect on the central nervous system, appropriate care is necessary with BZD.
As storylines are introduced, a surprising theme running throughout this season is the frequent mention of lorazepam, a prescription medication used to treat anxiety and certain types of insomnia.
Some studies in the past have shown that there is a correlation between chronic BZD use and a decline in cognitive function, including the development of dementia and dementia-like diseases.
There are pharmacological options for treatment in those suffering from withdrawal or wishing to discontinue their chronic BZD use.

Alcohol withdrawal

While a therapeutic dose has not been proven teratogenic, use during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth restriction. The unborn fetus is at high risk for “floppy infant syndrome,” characterized by muscle laxity, failure to suckle, and oversedation. Approximately two weeks after birth, the infant experiences withdrawal consisting of continued difficulty feeding, high pitched cries, hyperexcitability, and consequently possible failure to thrive. The ultimate concern is that such fetuses will later be susceptible to autism, learning difficulties, attention deficit disorder, and general hyperactivity 24. Abrahamsson et al. investigated the relationship between hypnotic drug overdose versus non-overdose deaths in patients on opioid maintenance therapy.

Standard outpatient treatment usually only requires attendance one to two times a week and often involves individual counseling, group counseling, family therapy, or some blend of these. Those with less severe addictions or who have already established their sobriety may find this level of treatment meets their needs. Attending a benzodiazepine addiction treatment center greatly increases the chances of a successful recovery and ensures that all treatment is carried out safely and to the highest standard.

At all times, benzodiazepines should be discontinued under the care of a physician. View the pregnancy section of each individual drug monograph to determine pregnancy risk or benefit. More recent research is focusing on the possible adverse effects on cognition (thinking and reasoning ability) in patients using benzodiazepines for long periods of time. In some patients, severe allergies like anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported with benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines may be used at the beginning of therapy to lessen symptoms while the antidepressants for panic symptoms take effect, which may take 4 to 6 weeks. Benzodiazepines such as clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) are useful for panic attacks.

Current studies are aimed to decrease this rebound anxiety effect while also decreasing relapse into BZD use using different medications, counseling, BZD dosing strategies, or different tapering techniques.
This season begins similarly to others, with plenty of intrigue, leaving behind a string of mysteries about who died and how.
Medical support can help with symptom management and reduce the risk of relapse.
While there are separate types because they have different primary effects, there’s a lot of overlap between them.
The show opened with gunshots and a dead body, this time floating face down in a lotus pond.

A rebound effect is defined as a withdrawal symptom that was the original reason for taking the drug. In the case of benzodiazepines, people can experience severe sleeplessness, anxiety, panic attacks, or seizures during withdrawal. To prevent or mitigate these effects,it’s recommended people seek medical assistanceso that doctors and nurses can monitor patients and supply symptom-blocking medications if needed. Regular use of BZDs has been shown to cause serious, harmful psychological and physical dependence, leading to withdrawal symptoms similar to that of alcohol withdrawal. Regular use of BZDs can lead to tolerance, which is the physiologic dependence on the presence of BZDs in the body’s system.

It is important to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ note that this study was uncontrolled, so further randomized controlled studies need to be performed to increase the validity of these results 71. Agarwal and Landon 2019 stated that the prescription of BZD in outpatient settings significantly increased from 2003 to 2015 27. Several studies have examined the relationship between BZD use and mortality. In a systematic review of research, Charlson et al. could not find conclusive evidence supporting increased risk of mortality in BZD users 43. In their analysis of six retrospective studies, half of them showed no significant relationship between BZD use and mortality.

Therapy

The dangers of Xanax misuse and addiction

Alcohol withdrawal

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