Benzodiazepines
The benzodiazepine is a depressant, which is used to produce sedation, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, induce sleep and to prevent seizures. In high doses, benzodiazepines act as hypnotics, in moderate doses it acts as anxiolytics and sedatives in low doses. Benzodiazepines are the most widely prescribed medications and of the drugs marketed, would affect the central nervous system function.
Near about 15 benzodiazepines are marketed in US, and 20 are marketed in the other countries. These drugs are controlled in Schedule IV of CSA. You will found these benzodiazepines in two categories: short acting benzodiazepines and long acting benzodiazepines.
Generally, short acting benzodiazepines are used for the sleep onset insomnia patients without daytime anxiety. These types of benzodiazepines are used to manage insomnia, include flurazepam (Dalmane), estazolam (ProSom), triazolam (Halcion), and temazepam (Restoril).
Midazolam (Versed) is one of the short acting benzodiazepines, is used for anxiety, sedation and amnesia prior to anesthesia and in critical care settings. This drug is available as syrup and as an injectable preparation basically, for pediatric patients.
Long acting benzodiazepines provides longer duration of action and are used to treat insomnia patients with daytime anxiety. These types of benzodiazepines are clorazepate (Tranxene), alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (librium), halazepam (Paxipam), oxazepam (Serax), lorzepam (Ativan), quazepam (Doral) and prazepam (Centrax). Diazepam, Clonazepam (Klonopin), and clorazepate are also utilized as anticonvulsants.
Effects of Benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepines are the prescription drugs and are emotionally and physically addictive. Generally, these are prescribed for the treatment of sleep disorders, anxiety disorders or panic attacks, and it become the tendency of people to abuse this drug. Once the person started to abuse benzodiazepine, side effects begin to exhibit themselves. The side effects include loss of concentration, drowsiness and slurred speech.
Even with the increases use of the drug, these symptoms may dissipate after the long period of time. But with increased use, comes tolerance and with tolerance an addiction. At this stage, the person is continuously abusing the drug to get the initial calming effect which was once he had experienced.
Some additional side effects of benzodiazepine addiction are; nausea, depression, anxiety, skin rashes, memory loss, sexual problems, drowsiness, muscle cramps, diarrhea, loss of appetite and lack of coordination.
The very dangerous form of benzodiazepine is an injecting benzodiazepine that can be result in serious health problems. Most of the benzodiazepines are for oral use but some people inject them and it's savior side effects are: red, swallow, infected skin, collapsed veins, damage to organs, due to poor circulation there is amputation of limbs, stroke and even death.
Treatment Option for Benzodiazepine patients
There are number of treatment options available for the people who use benzodiazepine for non medical purposes. The different options include, group therapy, counseling, and supervised or home withdrawal.