Description:

Benzodiazepines are powerful psychoactive substances that have many important uses in clinical practice.  They also, however have been over utilized in inappropriate situations leading to physiologic dependence and addiction.  The process of discontinuation or tapering can be challenging and lead to complex clinical situations and patient interactions.  The standard of care for deprescribing has been a taper but there is emerging interest in evidence that alternative mechanisms for deprescribing may have a place in clinical practice.  There is also a subset of patients who develop chronic sequela from long-term benzodiazepine use even after prolonged periods of abstinence.

Objectives:

• Develop an understanding of complex persistent benzodiazepine dependence

• Gain exposure to underutilized alternatives to benzodiazepine tapers for discontinuations.

• Review the sequela of long-term benzodiazepine use.

• Review the historical perspective of benzodiazepine marketing and how it led to them being prescribed predominantly to women.

Online Course Evaluation – How it works:

We now use our online course system for course evaluations and certificates. We hope this will ultimately provide a smoother experience for you by allowing you to access your certificate immediately after completing the course evaluation. Here is how it works:

After the live meeting ends:

1. Log into this online course
2. Click below on “Course Survey” to access the survey. After completing the survey, return to the course page.
3. After you submit the evaluation, click Mark Complete and you will be able to download or print your certificate. The certificate will also be emailed to you as a PDF.
4. If you need a certificate for Continuing Medical Education, you will be emailed a CME certificate within 2-3 weeks of completion of the course evaluation.