Treatments for Benzodiazepine abuse
Benzodiazepine abuse: Research Doctors & Specialists
Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.
Buy Products Related to Treatments for Benzodiazepine abuse
Book Excerpts: Treatment of Benzodiazepine abuse
Treatments of Benzodiazepine abuse: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the treatments of Benzodiazepine abuse.
Substance abuse and induced disorders:
Treatment
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
The patient with acute drug intoxication should receive symptomatic treatment based on the drug ingested. Measures include fluid replacement therapy and nutritional and vitamin supplements, if indicated; detoxification with the same drug or a pharmacologically similar drug (exceptions include cocaine, hallucinogens, and marijuana, which aren’t used for detoxification); sedatives to induce sleep; anticholinergics and antidiarrheal agents to relieve GI distress; antianxiety drugs for severe agitation, especially in cocaine abusers; and symptomatic treatment of complications. Depending on the dosage and time elapsed before admission, additional treatment may include gastric lavage, induced emesis, activated charcoal, forced diuresis and, possibly, hemoperfusion or hemodialysis.
Treatment of drug dependence commonly involves a triad of care: detoxification, short- and long-term rehabilitation, and aftercare; the latter means a lifetime of abstinence, usually aided by participation in Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or a similar self-help group.
Detoxification, the controlled and gradual withdrawal of an abused drug, is achieved through substituting a drug with a similar action. Such gradual replacement of the abused drug controls the effects of withdrawal, thereby reducing the patient’s discomfort and associated risks.
Depending on which drug the patient has abused, detoxification may be managed on an inpatient or outpatient basis. For example, withdrawal from depressants can produce hazardous adverse reactions, such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures, status epilepticus, and hypotension. The severity of these reactions determines whether the patient can be safely treated as an outpatient or if he requires hospitalization. Withdrawal from depressants usually requires detoxification because abrupt or poorly managed withdrawal from barbiturates can cause death.
Opioid withdrawal causes severe physical discomfort and can be life threatening. To minimize these effects, chronic opioid abusers commonly are detoxified with methadone.
To ease withdrawal from opioids, depressants, and other drugs, useful nonchemical measures may include psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation techniques, and nutritional support. Sedatives and tranquilizers may be administered temporarily to help the patient cope with insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
After withdrawal, the patient needs to participate in a rehabilitation program to prevent a recurrence. Rehabilitation programs are available for inpatients and outpatients; they usually last a month or longer and may include individual, group, and family psychotherapy. During and after rehabilitation, participation in a drug-oriented self-help group may be helpful. The largest such group is NA.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Drug abuse and dependence:
Treatment
(Handbook of Diseases)
The patient may first need treatment for drug intoxication, followed by long-term therapy to combat drug dependence.
Drug intoxication
The patient with acute drug intoxication should receive symptomatic treatment based on the drug ingested. Measures include fluid replacement therapy and nutritional and vitamin supplements, if indicated, and detoxification with the same drug or a pharmacologically similar drug. (Exceptions include cocaine, hallucinogens, and marijuana, which aren’t used for detoxification.)
Medications include sedatives to induce sleep; anticholinergics and anti-diarrheals to relieve GI distress; anti-anxiety drugs for severe agitation, especially in cocaine abusers; and symptomatic treatment of complications.
Depending on the dosage and time elapsed before admission, additional treatments may include gastric lavage, induced vomiting, activated charcoal, forced diuresis and, possibly, hemoperfusion or hemodialysis.
Drug dependence
Treatment of drug dependence commonly involves a triad of care: detoxification, short- and long-term rehabilitation, and aftercare. The latter means a lifetime of abstinence, usually aided by participation in Narcotics Anonymous or a similar self-help group.
Detoxification, the controlled and gradual withdrawal of an abused drug, is achieved through substitution of a drug with similar action, which is then gradually decreased. Such gradual replacement of the abused drug controls the effects of withdrawal, thereby reducing the patient’s discomfort and associated risks.
Depending on which drug the patient has abused, detoxification may be managed on an inpatient or outpatient basis. For example, withdrawal from CNS depressants can produce hazardous adverse reactions, such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures, status epilepticus, and hypotension.
The severity of these reactions determines whether the patient can be safely treated as an outpatient or requires hospitalization. Withdrawal from CNS depressants usually doesn’t require detoxification.
Opioid withdrawal causes severe physical discomfort and can even be life-threatening. To minimize these effects, chronic opioid abusers commonly are detoxified with methadone.
To ease withdrawal from opioids, depressants, and other drugs, useful nonchemical measures may include psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation techniques, and nutritional support. Sedatives and tranquilizers may be administered temporarily to help the patient cope with insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
After withdrawal, the patient needs to participate in a rehabilitation program to prevent a recurrence of drug abuse. Rehabilitation programs are available for both inpatients and outpatients; they usually last a month or longer and may include individual, group, and family psychotherapy. During and after rehabilitation, participation in a drug-oriented self-help group may be beneficial. The largest such group is Narcotics Anonymous.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Many people think that the HIV epidemic is over. But recently there has been a spike in the number of new infections. Experts say that certain club...
With college pressures at their highest, many students are turning to prescription stimulant drugs like Ritalin and Adderall to give them an edge....
Sexual contact can sometimes result in problems. An unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases may be some of those consequences. But by...
Sleep is necessary to feel refreshed, but now we know sleep actually impacts the way the body functions. Sleeping poorly can affect how often you get...
See full list of 4 related videos
» Next page: Doctors and Medical Specialists for Benzodiazepine abuse
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
