Course Summary

Practice Level: Intermediate

Benzodiazepines are used as anticonvulsants, anxiolytics, hypnotics, and muscle relaxers. Because these drugs are highly effective, they are widely prescribed and used. Benzodiazepine medication are considered a controlled substance with significant risk of developing a substance use and addiction disorder. Additionally, there are significant drug-drug interactions with the combined use of benzodiazepines and medications used to treat mental illness, such as antipsychotic drugs, that clinicians should be aware of during crisis interventions. The basic pharmacology of benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine use disorder, withdrawal, and overdose, as well as treatment are discussed.

Course Format

This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the basic pharmacology of Benzodiazepines
  • Explain the DSM-5 criteria for Benzodiazepine Use And Addiction Disorder
  • Discuss Benzodiazepine withdrawal

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Basic Pharmacology Of Benzodiazepines
  • Benzodiazepine Use And Addiction Disorder
    • DSM-5 Criteria
    • Incidence
    • Etiology
    • Clinical Course
  • Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
    • Signs and Symptoms
    • Treatment
  • Benzodiazepine Overdose
    • Clinical Presentation
    • Treatment
  • Case Study: Benzodiazepine Drug-Drug Interaction
  • Future Trends Of Benzodiazepine Use
  • Summary

Author

Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA

Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 20 years of as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, written textbook chapters, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was recently named a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center and is actively involved in lecturing and mentoring nurses, emergency medical residents and pharmacy students.

Accreditation Approval Statements

This course does not qualify for NBCC credit.

CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

This course has been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345, CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.