Benzodiazepines

Question 1

What GABA receptor do benzos work on?

Answer 1

GABAa

Question 2

Name drug names of benzos. What are the street names of some of these?

Answer 2

Lorazepam
Diazepam (valium - think of Charlie)
^ most commonly used in psych^

Valium and Xanax

Question 3

What is GABA?

Answer 3

A neurotransmitter that is the main inhibitor in the brain

Question 4

How do benzos work to control anxiety?

Answer 4

They bind to benzodiazepines binding sites 
->
Increases efficiency of GABA 
->
Increases Cl- flow
->
Decreases action potentials

Enhances the effect of GABA

Question 5

What effect do they cause?

Answer 5

Relaxation and anticonvulsants

Question 6

Apart from anxiety and epileptic status what else can they be used for?

Answer 6

Short term pain management - e.g. bad back pain

Question 7

Why should they only be used short term?

Answer 7

They are addictive and need to have dose increased over time to maintain the same effects

Question 8

Give at least 5 of the many withdrawl symptoms:

Answer 8

• Abdominal cramps
• Increased anxiety, panic attacks
• Physical symptoms
  Muscle tension, chest pain, palpitations, sweating, shaking)
• Blurred vision
• Depression
• Insomnia, nightmares
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Inability to concentrate
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tingling in hands and feet
• Restlessness
• Sensory sensitivity

Question 9

What type of benzodiazepines should patient be transferred to when starting withdrawal?

Answer 9

Valium - diazepam