Therapy of the benzodiazepine dependence in the elderly
Journal Title: Postępy Nauk Medycznych - Year 2011, Vol 24, Issue 8
Abstract
Popularity of benzodiazepines with elderly patients is caused by a transient relief these drugs provide from a chronic stress associated with an advanced age. The standards limiting the indications for and the duration of benzodiazepine therapy are particularly seldom followed for the patients in this age group. Beliefs of practitioners contribute to this state of affairs: the belief about rarity of the emergence of the substance tolerance among the elderly, and reservations concerning safety and purpose of radical detoxification for the senior patients. The paper presents the collection of arguments supporting the detoxification recommendation and the results of actual execution of this procedure with 29 patients age 66-83. The presented results show that patients aged 65 and above tolerate detoxification not worse than the general population, what allows the practice of withdrawing of substitute benzodiazepine within a similar time frame. The total hospitalization period of the elderly was significantly increased as compared to general population, owning to the longer total elimination time of the substitute benzodiazepine and the resulting delay of the onset of withdrawal symptoms peaks, particularly the last one. Above fact (delayed peaks of withdrawal symptoms) promotes the risk of the tired patient prematurely leaving the hospital and consequential onset of withdrawal symptoms at home. To prevent that, an undue accumulation of the drug should be prevented through meticulous monitoring of the serum levels and the radical dose reduction in the first week after commencement of the benzodiazepine substitute therapy.
Authors and Affiliations
Anna Basińska
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP54239
- DOI -
- Views 142
- Downloads 0
Comment
Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis
Glucocirticosteroid (GS) intake is the main cause of secondary osteoporosis. The prevalence of chronic GS use is over 0,5% in general population, but only 15% of these patients are receiving treatment of osteoporosis. Th...
Contemporary ophthalmology – current possibilities and future prospects regarding diagnostics and management of the most common ophthalmic disorders
The team of the Ophthalmology Clinic of the Medical Center of Postgraduate Education (MCPE) presents the achievements and technological progress in diagnosing and treatment of the ophthalmic disorders, focusing on the mo...
Acute myeloid leukemia during pregnancy. A case report and review of the literature
Malignant neoplasms are estimated to occur in about 1 of 1000 pregnancies and leukemias complicate as many as 1 of every 75 000-100 000 pregnancies. Among leukemias, acute myeloid leukemia predominates and due to its agg...
Wybrane czynniki socjodemograficzne i kliniczne jako predyktory prób samobójczych ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem zatruć
Skłonności samobójcze występujące u ludzi są wynikiem połączenia różnorodnych czynników obejmujących dziedziny psychopatologii, genetyki, wczesnych doświadczeń życiowych, interakcji rodzinnych i społecznych, stresu, chor...