Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:1501-1506
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
Critical review of liability for benzodiazepine abuse among alcoholics
DA Ciraulo, BF Sands and RI Shader
Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA.
The authors critically reviewed the literature on benzodiazepine use among
alcoholics, psychiatric patients, and the general population to determine
whether alcoholics have a greater liability for benzodiazepine abuse. Data
suggest that the prevalence of benzodiazepine use among alcoholics is
greater than in the general population but comparable to the prevalence in
psychiatric patients. The liability for abuse may also be greater for
alcoholics, but the substantial methodologic deficiencies of existing
studies preclude such a conclusion. Given the frequency of anxiety
disorders and benzodiazepine use among alcoholics, their potential for
benzodiazepine abuse is an important issue. The authors discuss clinical
guidelines and strategies for future research.
