• Home
  • Store
    • Newsletter Subscriptions
    • Multimedia Subscriptions
    • Books
    • eBooks
    • ABPN SA Courses
  • CME Center
  • Multimedia
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
    • Blog
  • Newsletters
    • General Psychiatry
    • Child Psychiatry
    • Addiction Treatment
    • Hospital Psychiatry
    • Geriatric Psychiatry
  • Log In
  • Register
  • Welcome
  • Sign Out
  • Subscribe
Home » Blogs » The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast » Quarantining with Benzos [60 Sec Psych]

The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast
The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast RSS FeedRSS

Clear, engaging, and practical updates on clinical psychiatry.
Earn CME for listening to the podcast with a Podcast CME Subscription.
Listen for free here or using Apple Podcasts, Android, or Stitcher.

Quarantining with Benzos [60 Sec Psych]

October 13, 2020

Benzo prescriptions have risen 34% during COVID-19, particularly in women. People are also getting benzos outside of prescriptions. Drs. Islam and Choudhry discussed the emerging trend in a commentary in Clinical Psychiatry News. Specifically, they are concerned that people will obtain benzos over the internet, and that this casual use can raise the risk of overdose deaths.


Published On: 10/14/20


Duration: 5 minutes, 36 seconds


Transcript:


Benzo prescriptions have risen 34% during COVID-19, particularly in women. People are also getting benzos outside of prescriptions

Drs. Islam and Choudhry discussed the emerging trend in a commentary in Clinical Psychiatry News. Specifically, they are concerned that people will obtain benzos over the internet, and that this casual use can raise the risk of overdose deaths. Although media attention has focused on the opioid crisis, it’s important to understand that the majority of opioid-related fatalities involved benzodiazepines in the mix. Both drugs suppress breathing, but they do so in different ways, such that the two together a  re much more dangerous than either alone. Throw in alcohol, and the chance of fatal respiratory suppression is even higher.

If you’re prescribing benzos to patients on opiates – check out our Sept 2018 issue, which has a chart that will help you figure out whether the benzo is safe or not and which benzos have the lowest overdose risk. Also the May 2020 issue of the Carlat Addiction Report has a good interview on benzos and opioids with Ken Morford from Yale.

While complete respiratory suppression is a fatal result of benzo and opioid toxicity, we also need to pay attention to the partial respiratory suppression that occurs with everyday benzodiazepine use. When the lungs slow down, infections find it easier to gain entrance. Benzos increase the risk of pneumonia by 25% - according to a 2019 meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 120,000 cases of pneumonia.

References:

  • Islam FA, Choudhry ZU, Choudhry Z. Revisiting Xanax amid the coronavirus crisis. Clinical Psychiatry News, July 15, 2020. [Link]

  • Sun GQ, Zhang L, Zhang LN, Wu Z, Hu DF. Benzodiazepines or related drugs and risk of pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019;34(4):513-521. [Link]


Got feedback? Take the podcast survey.

Introducing Carlat Total Access Subscriptions

Complete access to every article you search on the website.

Shop for Total Access
Free Psychiatry Updates
The latest unbiased psychiatric information sent to your inbox.
Specify Your Interests
Featured Book
  • AUDFB1e_CoilBound_Graphic2_transparent_sm.png

    Treating Alcohol Use Disorder: A Fact Book (2023)

    All the tools and information needed to assess and treat your patients who are struggling with...
    READ MORE
Featured Video
  • therapist_canstockphoto9201097.jpg
    General Psychiatry

    Using SAMe In Clinical Practice with Garrett Rossi, MD

    Read More
Featured Podcast
  • canstockphoto4921771.jpg
    General Psychiatry

    Psychopharm Commandment #6: MAOIs

    MAOIs rank high in efficacy and are pretty well tolerated too, as long as you watch for two critical interactions.

    Listen now
Recommended
  • Approaches to Autism Intervention

    January 31, 2022
    canstockphoto2240982_child-bubbles_thumb.jpg
  • Currently Available Cannabis Products

    September 1, 2022
  • Interpreting Assessment Discrepancies from Multiple Sources

    October 17, 2022
    ChildAssessment.png
  • Approaches to Autism Intervention

    January 31, 2022
    canstockphoto2240982_child-bubbles_thumb.jpg
  • Currently Available Cannabis Products

    September 1, 2022
  • Interpreting Assessment Discrepancies from Multiple Sources

    October 17, 2022
    ChildAssessment.png
  • Approaches to Autism Intervention

    January 31, 2022
    canstockphoto2240982_child-bubbles_thumb.jpg
  • Currently Available Cannabis Products

    September 1, 2022
  • Interpreting Assessment Discrepancies from Multiple Sources

    October 17, 2022
    ChildAssessment.png

About

  • About Us
  • CME Center
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us

Shop Online

  • Newsletters
  • Multimedia Subscriptions
  • Books
  • eBooks
  • ABPN Self-Assessment Courses

Newsletters

  • The Carlat Psychiatry Report
  • The Carlat Child Psychiatry Report
  • The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report
  • The Carlat Hospital Psychiatry Report
  • The Carlat Geriatric Psychiatry Report

Contact

info@thecarlatreport.com

866-348-9279

PO Box 626, Newburyport MA 01950

Follow Us

Please see our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Subscription Agreement, Use of Cookies, and Hardware/Software Requirements to view our website.

© 2023 Carlat Publishing, LLC and Affiliates, All Rights Reserved.