Benzodiazepines: Difference between revisions

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*[[Phenazepam]]

==Discontinuation==

==Toxicity and harm potential==

[[File:harmchart.png|thumb|right|300px|Radar plot showing relative physical harm, social harm, and dependence of benzodiazepines in comparison to other drugs.<ref>Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673607604644</ref>]]

===Lethal dosage===

The median lethal dosage varies wildly between specific substances within the benzodiazepine class. It is because of this that one should always fully research the substance before administering it to themselves or others.

===Tolerance and addiction potential===

Tolerance will develop to the sedative-hypnotic effects within a couple of days.<ref>Principles and Practice of Psychopharmacotherapy | http://books.google.com/books?id=_ePK9wwcQUMC&pg=PA535</ref> Withdrawal symptoms or rebound symptoms may occur after ceasing treatment abruptly following a few weeks or longer of steady dosing, and may necessitate a gradual dose reduction.<ref>Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Efficacy, and Behavioral Toxicity of Alprazolam: A Review of the Literature | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1527-3458.2004.tb00003.x/pdf</ref> <ref>The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment | http://books.google.com/books?id=6wdJgejlQzYC&pg=PA222&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>

====Discontinuation====

It is notoriously difficult to discontinue use of benzodiazepines, and potentially life threatening for tolerant individuals using regularly to do so without tapering their dose over a period of weeks. Benzodiazepines are positive allosteric modulators of GABA receptors, so as the brain is calibrated to operate with higher than usual inhibition, the number of GABA receptors expressed is reduced via downregulation. Abrupt discontinuation following chronic use of benzodiazepines causes rebound stimulation which presents as anxiety, insomnia and restlessness while the body attempts to return to homeostasis.

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 *[[Phenazepam]]
-==Discontinuation==
+==Toxicity and harm potential==
+[[File:harmchart.png|thumb|right|300px|Radar plot showing relative physical harm, social harm, and dependence of benzodiazepines in comparison to other drugs.<ref>Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673607604644</ref>]]
+===Lethal dosage===
+The median lethal dosage varies wildly between specific substances within the benzodiazepine class. It is because of this that one should always fully research the substance before administering it to themselves or others.
+===Tolerance and addiction potential===
+Tolerance will develop to the sedative-hypnotic effects within a couple of days.<ref>Principles and Practice of Psychopharmacotherapy | http://books.google.com/books?id=_ePK9wwcQUMC&pg=PA535</ref> Withdrawal symptoms or rebound symptoms may occur after ceasing treatment abruptly following a few weeks or longer of steady dosing, and may necessitate a gradual dose reduction.<ref>Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Efficacy, and Behavioral Toxicity of Alprazolam: A Review of the Literature | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1527-3458.2004.tb00003.x/pdf</ref> <ref>The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment | http://books.google.com/books?id=6wdJgejlQzYC&pg=PA222&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>
+====Discontinuation====
 It is notoriously difficult to discontinue use of benzodiazepines, and potentially life threatening for tolerant individuals using regularly to do so without tapering their dose over a period of weeks. Benzodiazepines are positive allosteric modulators of GABA receptors, so as the brain is calibrated to operate with higher than usual inhibition, the number of GABA receptors expressed is reduced via downregulation. Abrupt discontinuation following chronic use of benzodiazepines causes rebound stimulation which presents as anxiety, insomnia and restlessness while the body attempts to return to homeostasis.