ABSTRACT
Benzodiazepines are among the most widely prescribed medications in the world. They are a chemically related group of compounds, which have rather selective antianxiety properties, and an unusually broad margin of safety. Benzodiazepines are the primary medications for controlling seizures in emergency situations regardless of the underlying cause of the seizure. Individual benzodiazepines can have pharmacological or toxicological features that might be clinically relevant in certain situations but, as a first consideration, the various benzodiazepines can be considered interchangeable except for potency, and onset and duration of action. The symptoms of benzodiazepine toxicity following an acute overdose begin within a few hours and resemble those seen with alcohol intoxication. The acute withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepine are very similar to those seen with ethanol withdrawal and can be fatal. The psychotherapeutic agents prescribed for the woman in this case included two antidepressants, an anticonvulsant-mood stabilizer, and two benzodiazepines.
