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Article: Benzodiazepines: Complications
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BENZODIAZEPINES: COMPLICATIONS
As medicines, Benzodiazepines have been widely used
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as tranquilizers, to allay anxiety. Until the 1990s, they were believed to be both effective and extremely safe; however, beginning in the early 1980s, problems with these drugs started to become evident. Currently, the medical profession in many countries is trying to inculcate a cautious attitude toward their prescription and use. Lay people and the media have also become increasingly critical of the widespread use of these medicines for apparently trivial indications. To understand these problems, some aspects of the different types and effects of these medicines will be outlined.
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