Sedative abuse deaths on rise

THE NUMBER of people seeking treatment for, and dying as a result of, sedative abuse has increased significantly in the past decade, a new report shows.

The Health Research Board (HRB) report, Problem Benzodiazepine use in Ireland: treatment (2003 to 2008) and deaths (1998 to 2007), describes problem use of the prescription drugs as “a chronic, recurring health condition that requires repeated episodes of treatment over time”.

Benzodiazepines, when used legitimately, are used to treat a number of conditions including anxiety, stress and insomnia and the most common brands are Valium and Xanax.

The report, however, highlights a 65 per cent increase in the number of people being treated for problem benzodiazapine use, from 1,054 in 2003 to 1,719 in 2008.

It also finds a 35 per cent increase in deaths by poisoning where benzodiazepines were implicated.

“The annual number of cases who reported a benzodiazepine as their main problem substance was small, but increased over the reporting period from 76 in 2003 to 167 in 2008 – an increase of 120 per cent,” the report said.

“The number of cases who reported benzodiazepine as an additional problem drug was much larger and increased by 59 per cent from 982 in 2003 to 1,562 in 2008.”

These prescription drugs were also implicated in nearly one-third (31 per cent) of all deaths by poisoning between 1998 and 2007.

The total number of deaths by poisoning in 1998 was 178, with benzodiazepines a factor in 65. In 2007, the total deaths by poisoning was 274, with benzodiazepines a factor in 88.

Benzodiazepines are highly unlikely to kill on their own and death generally occurs when another substance has also been taken. “Benzodiazepines are known to amplify the depressant effects of other drugs which increases the risk of overdose when using more than one drug,” said Dr Suzi Lyons, senior researcher at the HRB.