The risk of co-prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines

There are valid reasons why these medications may be prescribed but vigilance is warranted and a cautious approach is required.
Both clss of drugs can depresses the central nervous system and y have a added effect when uysed together.

Opioid drugs include

– oxycodone
– morphine
– narcotic patches such as Norspan and Fentenyl
– Targin
– oxycodone
– Tramadol-
– Palexia
– codeine

These medications cause dose-dependent sedation, respiratory depression and pain relief ( analgesia.)

Benzodiazepine drugs include

– Valium( diazepam)
– Xanax ( alprazolam)
– Temazepam
– Rivitril (clonazepam)
– Paxam (clonazepam)

These drugs have anxiolytic, muscle relaxant, sleep inducing and antiepileptic effects.

Research indicates that patients filling both opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions have a 15 fold increase in the risk of death compared with those filling
Neither prescription.

The risks are due to inadvertent overdose.
There is also an increased risk of falling and of subsequent osteoporotic fractures

When these drugs are prescribed together the effects are often enhanced with psychomotor impairment, declining cognitive abilities, increase in sedation and decreases in arousability.

If you need these medications are to be used it is best to have a close working relationship with the prescriber and that the medications are used with caution.