The benzodiazepine class of drugs includes those used to treat anxiety, insomnia, panic disorder and alcohol withdrawal. They may also be used as muscle relaxants and to induce sedation. With so many indications for treatment, this drug class is one of the most frequently prescribed in America. But with this prevalence comes a greater opportunity for drug misuse, diversion, and abuse.
Benzodiazepine drugs can be very dangerous when abused, particularly when abused with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol and opioids. Even if a person can no longer feel the peak euphoric or sedative effects of a benzodiazepine drug, it could still be in their system. Taking more doses or using another drug in a short period of time increases the risk of respiratory depression, coma, and overdose. Benzodiazepines form strong physical dependencies, often necessitating a medically-supervised detoxification.
Following this treatment with an inpatient drug rehabilitation program is the strongest treatment plan for recovery success. Contact AddictionCampuses. This page does not provide medical advice. Don't Wait. Get Help Now Medically reviewed by Dr. Gerardo Sison, Pharm. D Revised on August 16, A hair test may test positive for benzodiazepines up to 90 days from past drug use. Factors That Influence Benzodiazepine Test Results While drug tests are fairly reliable, they sometimes yield inaccurate results, including false positives or false negatives.
The FDA does note that several factors can influence the accuracy of a test, including: the way the test was administered the way the test or urine was stored different foods or beverages which were consumed prior to the test prescription and over-the-counter drugs are taken prior to the test According to URMC, the following drugs may cause a false positive result in benzodiazepine urine tests: etodolac Lodine fenoprofen Nalfon naproxen Aleve oxaprozin Daypro sertraline Zoloft tolmetin Tolectin In addition to false positives, drug tests may also produce negative results even when a person took drugs.
Any questions about how to list medications as prescribed on an Aegis laboratory requisition may be directed to the Aegis Client Services department at In general, the following guidance may be helpful:. Benzodiazepines may be detected for a longer period of time in urine compared to oral fluid and blood. In blood, especially, the period of detection is generally limited to very recent use.
The detection time may be less in all specimen types in cases of as-needed dosing or ingestion of low doses. In settings of abuse or detoxification, the period of detection may be longer. Diazepam in particular has been noted to be detected longer in the urine of obese patients. If there is a particular scenario involving unexpected results, the Aegis Clinical Team is happy to review available literature to examine possible causes of such results. Does the patient have altered gastrointestinal GI function or recent GI illness?
Some patients have short-gut syndrome due to previous surgeries or GI disease or may have a history of gastric bypass surgery. Providers may consider the possibility of reduced absorption of drug and potential impact on unexpected negative results in these patients. Vomiting and diarrhea can disrupt normal absorption and metabolism of medications and reduce excreted amounts to undetectable levels.
Providers may also consider recent GI illness in the interpretation of unexpected negative results. If evaluating urine results, is the sample dilute? Urine samples with such a low creatinine level are less concentrated, and urine drug concentrations may fall below the reporting threshold in such samples. Patients who drink a lot of water, consume caffeine, take diuretic medications, have disorders of antidiuretic hormone, or other physiologic disturbances affecting urinary concentration may produce less concentrated urine.
Intentional dilution may occur either with intentional ingestion of copious amounts of water or by adding water to the urine sample from the restroom sink or toilet. Such aberrant behavior should be considered in the context of the entire patient presentation with a provider using his or her clinical judgment to assess this possibility. Are there concerns with drug and sample stability such as improper storage or delays in shipment?
If evaluating urine results, the sample pH may be an indicator of sample stability. In the case of improper storage, drug degradation contributing to unexpected negative results may be possible. Clonazepam in particular is more prone to stability issues. Is the patient on dialysis? If testing a dialysis patient, testing prior to dialysis is recommended or at least on a non-dialysis day to reduce the possibility of unexpected negative results. Some dialysis patients are able to produce urine, but the urine produced may not be the result of normal filtration and excretion of drug and as such may not be clinically useful for drug compliance testing.
Point of Care Testing Considerations Some point-of-care testing POCT devices may result in a false positive for benzodiazepines in patients who are taking certain medications. Please see below for a list of drugs which may cause a false positive for benzodiazepines on POCT. The presence of benzodiazepines varies a lot by each medicine's half-life. Half-life means the amount of time it takes for half of the medicine to be eliminated from the body.
Diazepam, for example, can be found for weeks after the last dose. Although most benzodiazepines show up in standard urine tests, some don't. Alprazolam, clonazepam, temazepam, and triazolam may not be found in many of the common tests. Many benzodiazepine tests can find whether the medicine is present, but they can't give the amount.
A medicine called flumazenil may be used as an antidote to the sedative effects of benzodiazepines. It shouldn't be used in people who have been taking benzodiazepines over a long period to control seizures. In these cases, flumazenil could cause withdrawal that could lead to death. This test is done with a urine sample. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions for collecting and storing the sample.
In some cases, you may have to provide a sample in the presence of a lab employee. Some other medicines can cause a false positive result in benzodiazepine urine tests.
These medicines include:. You do not need to prepare for this test. But be sure the lab technician and your healthcare provider know all the medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Search Encyclopedia. Benzodiazepines Urine Does this test have other names? Benzodiazepine urine toxicology screen What is this test? Examples of common medicines for anxiety, muscle tension, and seizures include: Alprazolam Chlordiazepoxide Clonazepam Clorazepate Diazepam Lorazepam Oxazepam Examples of common medicines for calmness and sleep include: Temazepam Triazolam Flurazepam Estazolam These medicines are also sometimes used illegally.
Why do I need this test? Signs and symptoms of overdose can include: Confusion Slurred speech Loss of muscle control Trouble thinking or talking Low blood pressure Slow or shallow breathing Seizure Unconsciousness Cardiac arrest You may also have this test if a healthcare provider thinks you are abusing these medicines or using them illegally.
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