Endotracheal intubation may also be required as part of a person’s supportive care and treatment plan. “The role of benzodiazepines in elderly suicides.” Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2003. Liu, Stephen; O’Donnell, Julie; Gladden, R. Matt; et al. “Trends in Nonfatal and Fatal Overdoses I…olumbia, 2019–2020.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 27, 2021. If you suspect someone is experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately.Do NOT be afraid to seek help.

Understanding and Mitigating Benzodiazepine Risks

Here, we explore benzodiazepine overdose, including the signs to look out for and what to do in this situation. The risks of flumazenil generally outweigh the benefits, since overdosing on benzodiazepines alone is rarely fatal. If this is the case, additional treatment for substance abuse may be recommended following stabilization. Benzodiazepines (Benzos) are anxiolytic (tranquilizers) classes of drugs that belong to a larger group of substances classified as central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Benzodiazepine overdose is the ingestion of one of the drugs in the Benzodiazepine class in quantities more significant than what is generally prescribed. This means that if a person stops taking the benzo and then relapses, a dose they would have previously been able to take without a problem now puts them at risk of overdose.

Benzodiazepine Overdose – Effects, Symptoms & Treatment

Ian Whyte designed the database used in the study and contributed to all drafts of the paper. Univariate analyses on the binary outcome variables (ICU admission, flumazenil, ventilation, coma) were conducted using simple logistic regression. Multivariate models on these outcome variables were determined using multiple logistic regression, employing both backward and forwards stepwise approaches. The outputs from the final models were reported as odds ratios (OR), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Univariate analyses on (the natural log of) LOS was conducted using simple linear regression. Multivariate models of LOS were determined using multiple linear regression, employing both backward and forward stepwise approaches.

Why Is Flumazenil Controversial?

We can offer guidance and insight into the recovery process, and will work to provide you with clarity into benzodiazepine overdose the steps that lay ahead. However, diazepam is metabolized to active intermediates with prolonged half-lives, which extend the parent drug’s therapeutic effects. Qualitative screening of urine or blood may be performed, but commonly used tests will miss many BZDs. In any event, screening results rarely influence treatment decisions and have no impact on immediate clinical care.

Benzodiazepine Overdose

But we’re more than just an information hub – we genuinely care about your health journey. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are https://alpinecodes.com/how-much-does-sober-living-cost-affordable-halfway/ not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Other central nervous system depressants and sedative-hypnotics, such as alcohol, barbiturates, and some sleep medications, can cause serious adverse effects when taken with benzodiazepines. Detox is an important step for severe withdrawal, but it’s not enough to treat addiction on its own.

• Struggling with benzodiazepine addiction doesn’t mean you’ve failed – it means you’re dealing with a complex medical condition that requires professional help.
• If you cannot stop taking benzodiazepines or have health problems when you try to quit, you may be suffering from benzodiazepine addiction.
• Misuse of Benzodiazepine can cause substantial harm and eventually result in a possible lethal overdose.
• Many benzodiazepine overdose cases include the simultaneous use of other substances, such as alcohol, which complicates treatment.

Risks Leading to Benzo Overdose

The risk is especially pronounced in those who take relatively high benzo doses and those who use multiple substances. After a person has recovered from a benzo overdose, it is important for them to seek help. This can include screening for intentional benzo overdose as well as medical detox and rehab. Doctors and loved ones need to be on the lookout for additional risks, like suicidal ideation and relapse risk. Clients at Carolina Center for Recovery will undergo a personalized journey through one of our highly effective treatment programs. Clients are specifically assigned to licensed mental health counselors, certified addiction professionals, or master-level therapists who not only specialize in the issues they’re facing but are paired with them based on their needs.

• These data suggest that alprazolam is potentially more toxic in overdose than other benzodiazepines.
• Alprazolam is a newer benzodiazepine that is being used more commonly in overdose.
• Over the ten years from 2003 to 2013, there has been a 109% increase in the number of people admitted to substance abuse treatment centers due to problems exclusively with benzodiazepine use.
• Carolina Center for Recovery is lucky to have some of the most qualified and experienced addiction specialists in the country.
• In doing so, these individuals are at risk of coma, respiratory depression, and death.

Learn about the symptoms, timeline, and risks of opioid withdrawal, how to safely detox from opioids, and find treatment. Valium is a benzodiazepine drug prescribed for anxiety disorders and sleep issues, but can also lead to dependence & Valium addiction. Kristen Fuller, M.D., enjoys writing about evidence-based topics in the cutting-edge world of mental health and addiction medicine and contributes to medicine board education. Every month, 150,000 people search for addiction or mental health treatment on Recovery.com. Recovery.com combines independent research with expert guidance on addiction and Oxford House mental health treatment.

Seek Help for Benzodiazepine Addiction

The dose required to produce respiratory compromise is difficult to quantify and depends on multiple factors, including dosage, tolerance, weight, age, coingestants, and even genetics. Patients with severe toxicity will present in a stuporous or comatose state, and immediate airway management and mechanical ventilation may be required. First, jurisdictions included in nonfatal and fatal overdose analyses are not nationally representative and differ from each other, limiting the extent to which trends can be compared. Third, despite only including consistently reporting facilities, ED visits decreased sharply after implementation of COVID-19 mitigation measures in March 2020, which might inflate rate increases (9).

If you cannot stop taking benzodiazepines or have health problems when you try to quit, you may be suffering from benzodiazepine addiction. However, benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium can be abused for their sedative side effects. Amanda Stevens is a highly respected figure in the field of medical content writing, with a specific focus on eating disorders and addiction treatment. Amanda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Purdue University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, which serves as a strong educational foundation for her contributions. Whether you’re concerned about your benzodiazepine use or worried about someone else, reaching out for help is the crucial first step.

Excessive CNS suppression due to benzos disrupts the brainstem’s ability to regulate breathing. As the signal to breathe becomes weaker, oxygen levels in the blood decrease while the carbon dioxide levels rise. These changes precipitate severe respiratory depression, resulting in loss of consciousness, coma, or even death if left untreated. The cornerstone of treatment in benzodiazepine (BZD) overdoses is supportive care and monitoring. Death secondary to sedative-hypnotic overdose usually results from cardiorespiratory collapse. Therefore, the first step in management is an assessment of the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation, and these should be addressed rapidly as needed.