Biomaterial Database

Iatrogenic benzodiazepine withdrawal delirium in hospitalized older patients. 1998

J H Moss, and K L Lanctôt

University of Toronto and the General Division of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Ontario, Canada.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this review was to identify cases of benzodiazepine withdrawal delirium in a population of older hospitalized patients and to determine whether the withdrawal was caused by iatrogenic factors. METHODS Retrospective chart review of selected cases from a referred sample. A Bayesian Adverse Reactions Diagnosis Instrument (BARDI) was applied to cases of benzodiazepine withdrawal delirium to quantify the probability that drug withdrawal was the causative mechanism. METHODS A university-affiliated health sciences center. METHODS A review of the psychiatric consultation liaison service database for a consecutive 4-month period yielded 21 cases of delirium in a referred sample of 119 patients more than 65 years of age. Four cases of benzodiazepine withdrawal were identified within the group of patients with delirium, and retrospective chart review identified potential iatrogenic causes for withdrawal in three patients. RESULTS The posterior possibilities calculated by the BARDI for the three cases of delirium were 0.98, 0.95, and 0.75, indicating a high probability that the delirium was caused by benzodiazepine withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS Benzodiazepine withdrawal delirium in older hospitalized patients may be associated with iatrogenic factors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D003693	Delirium	A disorder characterized by CONFUSION; inattentiveness; disorientation; ILLUSIONS; HALLUCINATIONS; agitation; and in some instances autonomic nervous system overactivity. It may result from toxic/metabolic conditions or structural brain lesions. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp411-2)	Delirium of Mixed Origin,Subacute Delirium,Delirium, Subacute,Deliriums, Subacute,Mixed Origin Delirium,Mixed Origin Deliriums,Subacute Deliriums
D006760	Hospitalization	The confinement of a patient in a hospital.	Hospitalizations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000369	Aged, 80 and over	Persons 80 years of age and older.	Oldest Old
D001569	Benzodiazepines	A group of two-ring heterocyclic compounds consisting of a benzene ring fused to a diazepine ring.	Benzodiazepine,Benzodiazepine Compounds
D012189	Retrospective Studies	Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons.	Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D013375	Substance Withdrawal Syndrome	Physiological and psychological symptoms associated with withdrawal from the use of a drug after prolonged administration or habituation. The concept includes withdrawal from smoking or drinking, as well as withdrawal from an administered drug.	Drug Withdrawal Symptoms,Withdrawal Symptoms,Drug Withdrawal Symptom,Substance Withdrawal Syndromes,Symptom, Drug Withdrawal,Symptom, Withdrawal,Symptoms, Drug Withdrawal,Symptoms, Withdrawal,Syndrome, Substance Withdrawal,Syndromes, Substance Withdrawal,Withdrawal Symptom,Withdrawal Symptom, Drug,Withdrawal Symptoms, Drug,Withdrawal Syndrome, Substance,Withdrawal Syndromes, Substance
D014151	Anti-Anxiety Agents	Agents that alleviate ANXIETY, tension, and ANXIETY DISORDERS, promote sedation, and have a calming effect without affecting clarity of consciousness or neurologic conditions. ADRENERGIC BETA-ANTAGONISTS are commonly used in the symptomatic treatment of anxiety but are not included here.	Anti-Anxiety Agent,Anti-Anxiety Drug,Anxiolytic,Anxiolytic Agent,Anxiolytic Agents,Tranquilizing Agents, Minor,Anti-Anxiety Drugs,Anti-Anxiety Effect,Anti-Anxiety Effects,Antianxiety Effect,Antianxiety Effects,Anxiolytic Effect,Anxiolytic Effects,Anxiolytics,Tranquillizing Agents, Minor,Agent, Anti-Anxiety,Agent, Anxiolytic,Agents, Anti-Anxiety,Agents, Anxiolytic,Agents, Minor Tranquilizing,Agents, Minor Tranquillizing,Anti Anxiety Agent,Anti Anxiety Agents,Anti Anxiety Drug,Anti Anxiety Drugs,Anti Anxiety Effect,Anti Anxiety Effects,Drug, Anti-Anxiety,Drugs, Anti-Anxiety,Effect, Anti-Anxiety,Effect, Antianxiety,Effect, Anxiolytic,Effects, Anti-Anxiety,Effects, Antianxiety,Effects, Anxiolytic,Minor Tranquilizing Agents,Minor Tranquillizing Agents