Benzodiazepines
Most of us know the potential side effects of opioid pain medications like drowsiness and overdose. What you may not know is that using opioids and benzodiazepines, a combination prescribed to nearly 10% of the millions of people who receive opioids each year, can enhance that risk dramatically. It’s particularly…
In the last week of September 2021, a group of more than 90 doctors and researchers published a call to action, cautioning against the liberal use of Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy. The studies suggested that exposure to the drug could increase the risk of a baby having neurodevelopmental, reproductive and…
A few years ago, framed by the skyline of Detroit, a group of about 15 children resettled as refugees from the Middle East and Africa leapt and twirled around, waving blue, pink and white streamers through the air. The captivating scene was powerfully symbolic. Each streamer held a negative thought,…
The incidence of depression and anxiety has surged among adults in the United States over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC survey suggested that from 2019 to 2020, symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression have tripled and quadrupled,…
Have you heard the one about the 90-year-old patient who tells the doctor his right knee hurts? The doctor says, “You’re 90. What do you expect? You’re going to have joint pain.” The patient replies, “Well, doctor, that’s an interesting concept, but you know my left knee is the exact…
If you suffer from anxiety, panic disorder, or insomnia, your doctor may have prescribed you what’s known as benzodiazepines (or benzos). This class of drugs contains popular brands such as Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), and Klonopin (clonazepam). They essentially act as a tranquilizer, relaxing, and sedating the user. …
What to do if you take anti-anxiety medicine and want to get pregnant? For pregnant women, using benzodiazepines might be OK. Also, a meta-analysis (which is a study of studies) compared behavioral therapy alone to pairing it with anti-abuse drugs to find the most effective way to treat substance and…
Or Z-drug patients — Lunesta, Ambien or Sonata too Originally published in Benzodiazepine Fundamentals Note: This article was written for doctors. We believe that patients need this information to ensure their own well-being and to better advocate for themselves. It has been edited and shortened. The original article is in…
The number of prescriptions for benzodiazepines, a class of tranquilizing drugs, has increased dramatically, and benzodiazepine-related overdose deaths have increased as well. The drugs can also raise the risks of falls, fractures and cognitive impairment, especially in seniors. Researchers looked at data on more than 386,000 doctor visits from 2003…
About 20% of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) take both a prescription opioid and tranquilizer medication together, and that’s problematic as it can lead to serious risks. Researchers say that AD patients who took a benzodiazepine, such as Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam) and Ativan (lorazepam), along with an opioid had…
Although tranquilizer drugs known as benzodiazepines are only meant for short-term use, about one-third of older adults who get a prescription for them end up continuing on them for the long term. Researchers interviewed 576 older adults that were newly prescribed a benzodiazepine. Common benzodiazepines are Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam)…
By Christy Huff, MD KevinMD.org As physicians, we are experts at prescribing medications. However, we often fail miserably when it comes to recognizing adverse reactions and tapering medications. It’s something that is simply lacking in our medical training. I have become a victim of this with benzodiazepines, as I detailed…
