Please note: Dosage equivalents are provided for certain drugs below and are denoted as unit equivalents, i.e. one unit of drug x is roughly the equivalent as one unit of drug y, where the dosage equal to one unit varies.
Benzodiazepines, also known as minor or trivial tranquilisers, are drugs that act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, sedatives, hypnotics, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, amnestics (inducing anterograde amnesia) and muscle relaxants.
Benzodiazepines are believed to be GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) agonists, acting on the GABA-A receptor. GABA is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian CNS.
The drugs were used primarily in the 1960s and the 1970s and were hailed as a huge leap from the more primitive barbiturates.
These drugs are classically split into three groups: long lasting sedatives, moderate lasting drugs (usually between 6 and 10 hours) and short lasting compounds which last a maximum of 6 hours.
Benzodiazepines are, however, habit forming so long term use can be counterproductive. However, they are far less open to abuse and exhibit far less side effects, especially in overdose which can be fatal in the case of barbiturates.
In terms of tolerance, any hypnotic effect loses its power in a matter of days and the anxiolytic effects wane after a couple of months. Addiction is a problem not only thanks to withdrawal effects but also because of the chance of an iatrogenic disorder. For these reasons, treatment is confined to a maximum of one month, although a limit of two weeks is more common.
Overdoses may lead to coma, but the effects are still favourable to those of barbiturates.
Benzodiazepines have other uses too - they are sometimes prescribed to combat depression, agorophobia and premenstrual tension; many also act to reduce memories of events whilst the patient is under sedation, for example, during medical procedures. Some can also reduce physical symptoms such as muscular spasms.
Terrible.
