18 Facts About Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines, sometimes called "benzos" or "blues", are a class of psychoactive drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring.

Benzodiazepines are depressants that enhance the effect of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid at the GABAA receptor, resulting in sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant properties.

Benzodiazepines are generally viewed as safe and effective for short-term use—about two to four weeks—although cognitive impairment and paradoxical effects such as aggression or behavioral disinhibition can occur.

Benzodiazepines are associated with an increased risk of suicide due to aggression, impulsivity, and negative withdrawal effects.

Benzodiazepines are commonly misused and taken in combination with other addictive substances.

Benzodiazepines possess psycholeptic, sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant, and amnesic actions, which are useful in a variety of indications such as alcohol dependence, seizures, anxiety disorders, panic, agitation, and insomnia.

Benzodiazepines can have serious adverse health outcomes, and these findings support clinical and regulatory efforts to reduce usage, especially in combination with non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists.

Benzodiazepines have robust efficacy in the short-term management of generalized anxiety disorder, but were not shown effective in producing long-term improvement overall.

Benzodiazepines are the preferred choice in the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, in particular, for the prevention and treatment of the dangerous complication of seizures and in subduing severe delirium.

Benzodiazepines are often prescribed for a wide range of conditions:.

Benzodiazepines should be prescribed to the elderly only with caution and only for a short period at low doses.

Benzodiazepines are sometimes prescribed to treat behavioral symptoms of dementia.

Benzodiazepines have a reputation with patients and doctors for causing a severe and traumatic withdrawal; however, this is in large part due to the withdrawal process being poorly managed.

Benzodiazepines bind at the interface of the a and ? subunits on the GABAA receptor.

Benzodiazepines have binding sites in the periphery, however their effects on muscle tone is not mediated through these peripheral receptors.

Benzodiazepines have been found to mimic protein reverse turns structurally, which enable them with their biological activity in many cases.

Benzodiazepines have been detected in plant specimens and brain samples of animals not exposed to synthetic sources, including a human brain from the 1940s.

Benzodiazepines are used in veterinary practice in the treatment of various disorders and conditions.