Posted by Fred23 on February 16, 2005, at 19:56:44
Someone asked for some official type pro-benzo sources a whlie ago, so I listed a few, and suggested that Glydin possibly compile them into a FAQ, as Dr. Bob's seems to be a a pro-benzo pole in the Internet universe.
But, I couldn't find that thread, so will cite another item in this new thread.
There is an article at http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p020337.html titled "The Psychopharmacology of Anxiety", from March 2002, that has this section on benzos:
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are effective first-line treatments for PD,
SAD and GAD in select patients when rapid onset is essential
and substance abuse is not an issue. Daily benzodiazepine
therapy provides symptom relief with good tolerability in
one to two weeks for 60% to 70% of patients, according to
reviews by Ballenger (2001), Gorman (2001) and Brunello et
al. (2000). Compared to antidepressants, benzodiazepines are
more effective for physical symptoms of anxiety,
particularly in the first three weeks of treatment.
Disadvantages of benzodiazepines include the risk of memory
problems, decreased coordination and withdrawal symptoms
upon abrupt discontinuation, including nervousness,
insomnia, restlessness, nausea, lethargy and (rarely)
seizures. Paradoxical reactions to benzodiazepines are
possible and include emotional lability, agitation and
occasionally rage reactions (Gutierrez et al., 2001).Benzodiazepine selection is based on each drug's
pharmacokinetic properties. For example, when qd or bid
dosing is preferred, clonazepam (t½: 20 hours to 50 hours)
is a good option. If drug accumulation is a concern,
lorazepam (Ativan) is preferred due to its intermediate
half-life (10 hours to 20 hours). Alprazolam (Xanax) is the
most-studied benzodiazepine for PD, and it should be
considered if clonazepam is ineffective. Disadvantages of
alprazolam include a requirement for multiple daily dosing
and a difficult and potentially serious withdrawal
(Ballenger et al., 1998; Gorman, 2001).Inter-individual variability in response exists, meaning if
alprazolam is effective, equipotent doses of clonazepam may
or may not be effective (Rosenbaum, 1990). Clonazepam may be
less likely to produce a reinforcing euphoria, compared to
diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam. Risk of benzodiazepine
abuse must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Personality
disorders, history of alcohol or substance abuse, and
genetic predisposition contribute to a likelihood of abuse.
However, benefits of benzodiazepine therapy far outweigh
risks for many patients with anxiety disorder who are unable
to find relief with antidepressants (Ballenger, 2001;
Gorman, 2001; Shader and Greenblatt, 1993).(This is only an excerpt.)
poster:Fred23
thread:459010
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050212/msgs/459010.html