Benzodiazepine maintenance for alcohol dependence: A case series.
case_series · Level IV
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 29302560.
- Also identified by DOI 10.4103/2249-4863.220038 and PMC identifier 5749099.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-SA.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
Alcohol addiction is a chronic relapsing syndrome. Benzodiazepines remain as the mainstay for detoxification, taking care of the acute withdrawal syndrome. There is fear of dependence and abuse of benzodiazepines on prolonged use. Here, we selectively interviewed ten cases who were on longer duration of benzodiazepines to elicit their potential perceived benefits, attitudes, and any adverse effect. Three patients experienced adverse effects. None of them had features of benzodiazepine dependence. We opine that in select cases, benzodiazepine use should persist beyond detox period, and its benefits continue beyond the acute withdrawal phase while monitoring their safety/adverse effects.