Benzodiazepines - Articles - Page 5

CLINICAL UPDATE

Medication Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Substance Abusers

May 1, 2016

Daniel Carlat, MD

Editor-in-Chief, Publisher, The Carlat Report.

Dr. Carlat has disclosed that he has no relevant relationships or financial interests in any commercial company pertaining to this educational activity.

While benzodiazepines are effective anti-anxiety workhorses for many patients, most guidelines tell us to avoid prescribing them to substance abusers. The concern is that the benzo high will remind patients of their substances of choice, and that benzo withdrawal symptoms will lead to old substance abuse habits.

EXPERT Q&A

Benzodiazepines: Dependence, Tolerance, and Addiction

May 1, 2016

Alex Stalcup, MD

Alex Stalcup, MD
Medical director of the New Leaf Treatment Center in Lafayette, CA.
Dr. Stalcup has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this
educational activity.

One good way to think of benzodiazepines is that they are literally, physiologically anyway, alcohol in a pill. Especially the fast-onset/fast-offset benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax) have a very similar pharmacologic profile to alcohol. This discussion with Dr. Alex Stalcum covers strategies of using benzodiazepines as anxiety treatments for substance-abusing patients.

Do Benzodiazepines Cause Dementia? Latest Study Casts Doubt

March 1, 2016

It’s possible that BZD use causes cognitive decline, but it’s equally possible that patients with preexisting dementia are prescribed BZDs to alleviate psychiatric symptoms related to dementia. A new, very large study adds to our fund of knowledge on this issue.

EXPERT Q&A

What Psychiatrists Should Know About Sleep Medicine

September 1, 2015

Robert S. Rosenberg, DO, FCCP

Robert S. Rosenberg, DO, FCCP

Medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center of Prescott Valley, AZ, and author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day (Demos Medical Publishing, 201

Dr. Rosenberg has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

What basic questions should we be asking our patients who complain of sleep problems? We talk to Robert S. Rosenberg, DO, FCCP, to get his insight on sleep disorders, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, sleep studies, and benzodiazepines.

Benzodiazepine Use and Alzheimer’s Risk

March 1, 2015

Daniel Carlat, MD

Daniel Carlat, MD

Editor-in-Chief, Publisher, The Carlat Report.

Dr. Carlat has disclosed that he has no relevant relationships or financial interests in any commercial company pertaining to this educational activity.

If you’re like most psychiatrists, you get your fair share of older folks who come into the office complaining of difficulties with sleep or with significant symptoms of anxiety.

Alcohol and Benzodiazepine Detoxification

January 1, 2015

David A. Frenz, MD discusses inpatient detox for alcohol, and the approaches used for determining the right therapies.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Mood Disorders

January 4, 2012

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum convallis hendrerit arcu, quis iaculis orci fermentum sed. Mauris nec est non sem eleifend tincidunt nec quis quam. Suspendisse potenti.

The Psychopharmacology of Anxiety Treatment in Children and Adolescents

December 1, 2011

Caroline Fisher, PhD, MD

Anxiety disorders are common in young people, affecting 4%–7% of children. It appears that the majority of “adult” anxiety disorders begin in childhood and are stable and often chronic conditions, so an effective intervention can have lifelong benefits.

Effective Psychotherapies for Childhood Anxiety

December 1, 2011

Sara Brewer, MD

While there are many different anxiety disorders, the mainstay of treatment for nearly all of them is the same: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents

December 1, 2011

Anxiety disorders, in general, for children and adolescents, can be a very big problem. A big issue is that anxiety disorders are often not the first diagnoses considered and they are often overlooked.