IBS AND PRESCRIBED DRUGS: BENZODIAZEPINES AS ANXIOLYTICS AND HYPNOTICS [SLEEP INDUCING DRUGS]
Posted: under Gastrointestinal.
Dependence and withdrawal symptoms: there has been concern for many years regarding benzodiazepine dependence (Br.Med.J. 1980: 280, 910-912). Such dependence is becoming increasingly worrying. Withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, tremor, confusion, insomnia, perception disorders, fits, depression, gastrointestinal and other somatic symptoms. These may sometimes be difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of the original illness.It is important to note that withdrawal symptoms can occur with benzodiazepines following therapeutic doses given for short periods of time. Withdrawal effects usually appear shortly after stopping abenzodiazepine with a short half-life. Symptoms may continue for weeks or months. No epidemiological evidence is available to suggest that one benzodiazepine is more responsible for the development of dependency or withdrawal symptoms than another. The Committee on Safety of Medicines recommends that the use of benzodiazepines should be limited in the following ways:As anxiolytics1 Benzodiazepines are indicated for the short-term relief (two to four weeks only) of anxiety that is severe, disabling or subjecting the individual to unacceptable distress, occurring alone or in association with insomnia or short-term psychosomatic organic or psychotic illness.2 The use of benzodiazepines to treat short-term ‘mild’ anxiety is inappropriate and unsuitable.As hypnotics [Sleep inducing drugs]1.Benzodiazepines should be used to treat insomnia only when it is severe, disabling, or subjecting the individual to extreme distress.*88\326\8*