++
Benzodiazepines, to varying degrees, have in common six major
pharmacologic effects: sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, amnestic,
anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant.1,2 Benzodiazepines
are commonly used for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, seizures,
and alcohol withdrawal.3–6 Midazolam,
a benzodiazepine with a short duration of action, is also used for procedural
sedation and general anesthesia (Table 177-1).
++
++
During 2008, the American Association of Poison Control Centers
received reports of 78,443 exposures to benzodiazepines; 30,856
were single drug exposures to a benzodiazepine.7 Isolated
benzodiazepine overdose has a low mortality and death is rare.8,9
++
Although the ingestion of benzodiazepines alone appears to result
in relatively few deaths, increased rates of morbidity do result
from mixed overdose. In addition, because of the varying pharmacologic
profiles, with some agents having more profound sedative or hypnotic
effects, there is ...