7
Table 1. Potential Benefits and Risks of Continued BZD Use
and BZD Tapering
a
Potential benefits Potential risks
BZD use BZD use BZD taper
• Effectiveness
in managing
a patient's
mental and
physical health
condition(s)
• Related functional
improvements
• Quality of life
improvements
b
• Oversedation, including
consideration of use
with other sedating
medications, alcohol, or
other drugs
• Falls and related injuries
• Memory and cognitive
impacts
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Medical safety concerns
(e.g., medication
interactions)
• Impacts on co-occurring
mental and physical
health conditions
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Impacts on work and
family responsibilities
• Diversion
• Substance use disorder
• Overdose
• Fetal harm
• Suicidality
• Withdrawal symptoms,
including severe or
complicated withdrawal (e.g.,
seizures, delirium)
• Recurrence of the condition
for which BZD were
prescribed
• Impacts on co-occurring
mental and physical health
conditions
• Protracted withdrawal
• Return to illicit BZD use
• Transition to illicit BZD use
c
a
Clinicians should consider the likelihood of each benefit and risk for the individual patient.
e narrative notes risk/hazard ratios available in the published literature.
b
Including compassionate use for end of life or palliative care.
c
Including risks associated with counterfeit BZDs from the illicit drug market, such as
contamination with highly potent synthetic opioids (HPSOs) (e.g., fentanyl) and novel
synthetic substances.
