Editing Benzodiazepine (section)

===Alcohol withdrawal===
{{Further|Alcohol detoxification}}
[[File:Liverty 10mg.jpg|thumb|Chlordiazepoxide 10 mg pill]]

[[Chlordiazepoxide]] is the most commonly used benzodiazepine for [[alcohol detoxification]],<ref name="pmid9270461">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ashworth M, Gerada C | title = ABC of mental health. Addiction and dependence – II: Alcohol | journal = BMJ | volume = 315 | issue = 7104 | pages = 358–360 | date = August 1997 | pmid = 9270461 | pmc = 2127236 | doi = 10.1136/bmj.315.7104.358 }}</ref> but [[diazepam]] may be used as an alternative. Both are used in the detoxification of individuals who are motivated to stop drinking, and are prescribed for a short period of time to reduce the risks of developing tolerance and dependence to the benzodiazepine medication itself.<ref name="BNF_2009"/>{{rp|275|date=November 2012}} The benzodiazepines with a longer half-life make detoxification more tolerable, and dangerous (and potentially lethal) alcohol withdrawal effects are less likely to occur. On the other hand, short-acting benzodiazepines may lead to [[Causes of seizures#Breakthrough seizure|breakthrough seizures]], and are, therefore, not recommended for detoxification in an outpatient setting. [[Oxazepam]] and [[lorazepam]] are often used in patients at risk of drug accumulation, in particular, the elderly and those with [[cirrhosis]], because they are metabolized differently from other benzodiazepines, through [[Glucuronidation|conjugation]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kraemer KL, Conigliaro J, Saitz R | title = Managing alcohol withdrawal in the elderly | journal = Drugs & Aging | volume = 14 | issue = 6 | pages = 409–425 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 10408740 | doi = 10.2165/00002512-199914060-00002 | s2cid = 2724630 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Prater CD, Miller KE, Zylstra RG | title = Outpatient detoxification of the addicted or alcoholic patient | journal = American Family Physician | volume = 60 | issue = 4 | pages = 1175–1183 | date = September 1999 | pmid = 10507746 }}</ref>

Benzodiazepines are the preferred choice in the management of [[alcohol withdrawal syndrome]], in particular, for the prevention and treatment of the dangerous complication of seizures and in subduing severe [[delirium]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ebell MH | title = Benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal | journal = American Family Physician | volume = 73 | issue = 7 | pages = 1191 | date = April 2006 | pmid = 16623205 }}</ref> Lorazepam is the only benzodiazepine with predictable intramuscular absorption and it is the most effective in preventing and controlling acute seizures.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Peppers MP | title = Benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal in the elderly and in patients with liver disease | journal = Pharmacotherapy | volume = 16 | issue = 1 | pages = 49–57 | year = 1996 | pmid = 8700792 | doi = 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1996.tb02915.x | s2cid = 1389910 | url = https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.1875-9114.1996.tb02915.x | access-date = 1 February 2020 | archive-date = 15 January 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200115181651/https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.1875-9114.1996.tb02915.x | url-status = dead }}</ref>