As medicines, BENZODIAZEPINES have been widely used—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.

What Are Benzodiazepines?

These medicines are used to lessen a patient's anxiety; they include such drugs as CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE (Librium), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) and oxazepam (Serenid; Serox). The term benzodiazepine describes a basic chemical structure. Some, like diazepam, are long acting and can be taken once daily; others, like...