Benzos, Opioids and Z-Drugs: Deadly Combos

With all the news media accounts and reports from governmental health organizations about the opioid epidemic, including the 70,237 drug overdose deaths in 2017, a newly emerging threat is gaining attention: use and misuse of benzodiazepines, opioid drugs and Z-drugs. Specifically, combining these three drugs can create a deadly combination that snuffs out lives.
Benzodiazepine Overdose Deaths on the Rise
Benzodiazepines, a class of sedative narcotic drugs including Xanax and Valium used to treat anxiety, insomnia and other disorders and classified as Schedule IV under the Controlled Substances Act by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), are increasingly misused, diverted and abused. These are powerful drugs that are highly addictive and can be fatal, especially when combined with opioids, alcohol (and Z-drugs, per recent findings). Prescriptions filled for benzos jumped 67 percent, from 8.1 million in 1996 to 13.5 million in 2013, according to a 2016 study reported in the American Journal of Public Health. Benzodiazepines are also considered responsible for a dramatic increase in overdose deaths in recent years, rising from 1,135 in 1999 to 8,791 in 2015 and 10,684 in 2016. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  highlighted the fact that benzodiazepine overdose deaths among women spiked 830 percent from 1999 (0.54 deaths per 100,000) to 2017 (5.02 deaths per 100,000).
Some 5.3 million people (of 30.6 million who said they used benzodiazepines) reported misuse, ...

Source: Psych Central - January 23, 2019 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Suzanne Kane Tags: Addictions Substance Abuse Suicide Source Type: news