Survey of the adjuvant use of benzodiazepines for treating outpatients with schizophrenia

J Psychiatry Neurosci. 1993 Mar;18(2):82-4.

Abstract

A retrospective survey of the use of benzodiazepines by 149 outpatients with schizophrenia found that 59% were on neuroleptics alone and 41% were receiving both neuroleptics and benzodiazepines. Of the group receiving both, 64% were taking a benzodiazepine as a hypnotic agent; 23% of those were taking alprazolam as an anxiolytic. The patients taking neuroleptics and alprazolam required significantly less neuroleptic medication than the group receiving neuroleptics alone.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alprazolam / therapeutic use
  • Ambulatory Care
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Alprazolam