Abstract:
The number of benzodiazepine (BZD) prescriptions has substantially increased over the past decade, leading to a parallel rise in rates of misuse and overdose. These increases have prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to update its \"boxed warning\" and have caused organizations to revisit prescribing guidelines. Concurrently, strong evidence from clinical trials supports the anxiolytic efficacy of BZDs. Although antidepressants and psychotherapy remain preferred treatments for chronic anxiety, BZDs remain helpful in treating acute or severe and persistent anxiety that does not respond to first-line therapy. Provider and patient education, coupled with prescribing surveillance, may be preferable to an overly stringent regulatory approach to guiding BZD use.
摘要:
苯二氮卓(BZD)处方的数量在过去十年大幅增加,导致误用和用药过量的比率平行上升。这些增加促使美国食品和药物管理局更新其“盒装警告”,并导致组织重新审视处方指南。同时,临床试验的有力证据支持BZDs的抗焦虑疗效。尽管抗抑郁药和心理治疗仍然是慢性焦虑症的首选治疗方法,BZDs仍然有助于治疗对一线治疗无反应的急性或严重和持续性焦虑。提供者和患者教育,加上处方监控,可能比指导BZD使用过于严格的监管方法更可取。