Benzodiazepines Use, Misuse, Abuse and Poisoning

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BenzodiazepinesUse, Misuse, Abuse and Poisoning

• Karen E. Simone, PharmD, DABAT
• Northern New England Poison Center
• simonk_at_mmc.org
• 207-662-7221

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Contents

• Poison Center Overview
• Types of Hotline Calls
• Benzodiazepine Perspective

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Northern New England Poison Center

• Certified by the American Association of Poison
  Control Centers (AAPCC) in November 2004
• Staff
• Hotline
• Outreach
• Surveillance
• Research

Funding Maine Medical Center/MaineHealth
Fletcher Allen Health Care States of Maine, New
Hampshire and Vermont Health Resources and
Services Administration United Ways of Greater
Portland, York, Kennebec Valley Denver Health
(surveillance projects)
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Types of Calls Poisoning Reasons

• Unintentional
• General, environmental, misuse, therapeutic
  error, occupational, good poisoning, bite/sting
• Intentional
• Abuse, misuse, suicide attempt
• Other
• Malicious, tampering/contamination, withdrawal
• Adverse effect
• Drug, chemical, other
• Unknown
• Drug, chemical, other

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Types of Calls Question Types

• Substance Abuse
• Identification, effects, drug screens, withdrawal
• Medication
• Pharmacology, adverse effects, interactions,
  withdrawal
• Toxicology
• General, environmental, food poisoning,
  pregnancy/lactation
• Prevention/safety
• Plants, lectures/health fairs, printed materials
• Occupation
• Safety, monitoring
• Medical/legal/other
• Drug, chemical, other

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Benzodiazepines Poisoning Victims

• Age and Gender

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Human poisonings, known ages
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Benzodiazepines Poisoning Victims

• Reason by Age

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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Reason for Unintentional Benzodiazepine Animal
Poisoning

• Accessed medicine from
• Floor
• Trash container
• Medicine bottle (chewed)
• Moms or Dads
• Grandmas
• Sitters
• Effects vomiting, wobbly legs, unsteady on paws

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Reason for Unintentional Benzodiazepine Child
Poisoning

• Similar to pet, also note
• Therapeutic error (parents anti-anxiety instead
  of childs attention deficit medication)
• Accessed from drug-dealing situation
• Accessed from pill reminder
• Other medications sometimes involved
• Effects ataxia, lethargy, slurred speech,
  dizziness, vomiting, (respiratory depression if
  other medications involved)

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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Benzodiazepines

• How frequent?
• Which ones?

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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Human poisonings, known ages, known reasons
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Benzodiazepines

• Substance Abuse
• Questions

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