TITLE:
Commentary: Benzodiazepine (BZD) and Related BZD-Receptor Agonists: Basic Science Reasons to Limit to Four Weeks or Less
AUTHORS:
Robert B. Raffa, Joseph V. Pergolizzi
KEYWORDS:
Benzodiazepine (BZD), BZD-Receptor Agonist, Evidence-Based, Short-Term Use
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.10 No.8,
August
8,
2019
ABSTRACT: Benzodiazepines and related
benzodiazepine-receptor agonists such as the pyrazolopyrimidinezalepl
-on;the
imidazopyridine zolpidem; and the cyclopyrroloneszopiclone and eszopiclone, are among the most widely
prescribed drugs, and for a variety of conditions. Surprisingly: 1) there are
only a few conditions for which there is a good evidence basis, 2) efficacy has
only been well demonstrated for short-term use (i.e., less than 4 weeks), and 3) much less is known about the basic
science of these drugs than is widely believed. We suggest that the use of
these drugs beyond four or less weeks
exceeds the available knowledge base, so best-practice use suggests that the
prescribing of these drugs for most patients should be limited to only
short-term use until more is known about the basic pharmacology of their
actions in the brain and in the periphery.