Perils in Benzodiazepine Withdrawal: Case Report

Vicki F. H. Macfarlane and Laurie Jo Moore
Additional contact information
Vicki F. H. Macfarlane: Medical Detoxification Service, New Zealand
Laurie Jo Moore: University of California, USA

European Journal of Medical and Health Sciences, 2020, vol. 2, issue 3

Abstract: The discovery that clonazepam prescribed for the treatment of migraines caused obstructive sleep apnea led to a rapid taper of clonazepam and substitution of lorazepam. Lack of accurate knowledge about the different pharmacokinetics and actions of different benzodiazepines at GABA-A receptors and the risks associated with rapid benzodiazepine withdrawal resulted in the development of the benzodiazepine protracted withdrawal syndrome. Moderately severe disability continued after 2 years. Insufficient knowledge about benzodiazepines and their withdrawal is a serious problem as doctors across the world are under extreme pressure to stop prescribing them but do not have an understanding of the potential perils involved. The pathophysiology of protracted withdrawal syndrome remains poorly understood and there is no recognised treatment. Information about appropriate management of withdrawal and the protracted withdrawal syndrome are available on Professor Ashton’s website at www.benzo.org.uk.

Keywords: Benzodiazepine Withdrawal; Protracted Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome; Benzodiazepine Pharmacology; CNF Effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://eu-opensci.org/index.php/ejmed/article/view/40319 Abstract page (text/html)
https://eu-opensci.org/index.php/ejmed/article/download/40319/8904 Full text (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:epw:ejmed0:v:2:y:2020:i:3:id:40319

DOI: 10.24018/ejmed.2020.2.3.319

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in European Journal of Medical and Health Sciences from European Open Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Support ().