Benzodiazepine tapering: a prospective study

Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
Britt VikanderArto J Hiltunen

Abstract

Benzodiazepines (BZD) are the most widely used sedative-hypnotics, and evidence is rapidly accumulating suggesting potential BZD dependence, association of chronic use with adverse effects and a definite abstinence syndrome produced by withdrawal. The present investigation followed prospectively long-term BZD users over 1 year following graded BZD withdrawal in terms of clinical and withdrawal symptoms. Clinical symptoms were measured by the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) and by the Newcastle Anxiety and Depression Diagnostic Index (NADDI) in a sample of BZD users over a 50-week period following graded BZD withdrawal. The results showed that the frequency and severity of clinical symptomatology measured by both scales significantly decreased over time. A detailed analysis of possible patterns of symptoms on both scales revealed four patterns: 1) a gradual decrease over the 50-week time period; 2) an increase in the severity of symptoms at the onset of tapering and a decrease in severity post-tapering; 3) an increase in the severity of symptoms 4 weeks after the cessation of BZD tapering; and 4) no change over the 50-week time period. Rate of BZD withdrawal was associated with CPRS ratings of global illness...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 26, 2012·Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics·Kristy L Dalrymple
Jan 7, 2016·Current Psychiatry Reports·Malcolm Lader, Andri Kyriacou
Apr 24, 2012·European Psychiatry : the Journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists·B Dell'osso, M Lader
Jul 1, 2011·Addiction·Malcolm Lader
Aug 14, 2012·British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·Malcolm Lader
Dec 5, 2014·Substance Use & Misuse·Marylène GuerlaisCaroline Victorri-Vigneau
Jan 21, 2017·Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie·Dirk K Wolter
Sep 12, 2017·Qualitative Health Research·Alison M Fixsen, Damien Ridge
Mar 11, 2021·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·Fiammetta Cosci, Guy Chouinard

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