Faculty Articles
Characteristics of Long Term Alprazolam Users in the Community
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
ISSN
0271-0749
Publication Date
10-1992
Abstract
The widespread use of benzodiazepines remains a source of concern to the medical profession and the general public, especially as newer compounds come on the market. Our goal was to characterize long-term alprazolam users in the community and to determine whether such use represented abuse or behavioural dependence. We conducted three community surveys to learn about the natural history of long-term alprazolam use. Current long-term alprazolam users (those using the drug for 3 months or longer) were recruited on three separate occasions 1 year apart by identical newspaper advertisements in the metropolitan Toronto area. All respondents were mailed a questionnaire with a stamped, addressed return envelope. Our data from 312 respondents show that: (1) the majority of patients have a substantial history of prior medication use for symptom control (65%), (2) dose escalation is not a characteristic of long-term use, (3) patients change their initial pattern of regular use to one of symptom control only when required, (4) most physicians do not discuss discontinuation of the drug with their patients, (5) patients frequently try to stop their drug use (with a median of 2 attempts) and often report symptoms upon discontinuation, and (6) patients perceive a need for medication use and indicate that alprazolam is effective (75%). We conclude that some patients persistently use alprazolam but that this use does not represent abuse or behavioral dependence.
DOI
10.1097/00004714-199210000-00004
Volume
12
Issue
5
First Page
316
Last Page
321
NSUWorks Citation
Romach, M. K.,
Somer, G. R.,
Sobell, L. C.,
Sobell, M. B.,
Kaplan, H. L.,
Sellers, E. M.
(1992). Characteristics of Long Term Alprazolam Users in the Community. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 12(5), 316-321.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/462