Am J Psychiatry 1984; 141:1580-1582
Copyright © 1984 by American Psychiatric Association
A 4-6-year follow-up of 50 patients with primary dependence on sedative and hypnotic drugs
C Allgulander, S Borg and B Vikander
The authors studied 50 of 55 patients originally hospitalized for primary
sedative-hypnotic dependence 4-6 years after hospital discharge. Forty-two
(84%) of the patients had resumed using sedative- hypnotics, 26 (52%) were
abusing drugs at follow-up, and 21 (42%) had been readmitted for drug
abuse. Three patients experienced delirious states and six experienced
epileptic seizures associated with withdrawal. Physical signs of alcoholism
had developed in 11 (22%); four (8%) had committed suicide. Social
deterioration was noted in 24 patients. CAT scan results did not deviate
from those found in a matched control sample.
