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Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 28 No. suppl 1, 2016.

Conference paper

MEGADOSE BROMAZEPAM DEPENDENCE

Anaïs Bastide ; Adult Psychiatic Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB) Mons, Belgium
Aloïse de Codt ; Adult Psychiatic Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB) Mons, Belgium
Pauline Monhonval ; Adult Psychiatic Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB) Mons, Belgium
Xavier Bongaerts ; Adult Psychiatic Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB) Mons, Belgium
Juan Martin Tecco ; Adult Psychiatic Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB) Mons, Belgium

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Abstract

Background: Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are among the most widely prescribed drugs in developed countries. Since BZDs can
produce tolerance and dependence even in a short time, their use is recommended for a very limited time. However, these
recommendations have been largely disregarded. The chronic use of BZDs causes a number of serious side effects, i.e. cognitive
impairment, falls, traffic accidents, dependence and tolerance.
Methods: We present the case of a 37 years old woman taking daily doses of 220 mg of bromazepam. The patient’s anxiety,
depression and cognitive status were evaluated with a battery of questionnaires. A sleep laboratory test was performed in search of
sleep apneas and sleepiness during the day. A Cerebral PET SCAN was executed in search of altered cerebral metabolism.
Results: Blood concentrations of bromazepam reached 7800 μg/L. Questionnaire evaluations showed significant depression and
anxiety but only moderate cognitive impairment. Oxygen saturation was normal throughout the Sleep lab test, respiratory events
were very few and sleepiness was moderate with an average latency of 9 minutes. Brain cortical glucose consumption was
homogeneously slightly reduced.
Conclusions: With doses of bromazepan reaching 15 times the toxic dose, anxiety remained high. Cognition, sleepiness,
respiratory sleep events and brain metabolism remained remarkably close to normal.

Keywords

dependence; tolerance; megadose; benzodiazepine; BZD; bromazepam

Hrčak ID:

264921

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/264921

Publication date:

30.8.2016.

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