title: A 4-6-year follow-up of 50 patients with primary dependence on sedative and hypnotic drugs.
abstract: The authors studied 50 of 55 patients originally hospitalized for primary sedative-hypnotic dependence 4-6 years after hospital discharge. Forty-two (84%) of the patients had resumed using sedative-hypnotics, 26 (52%) were abusing drugs at follow-up, and 21 (42%) had been readmitted for drug abuse. Three patients experienced delirious states and six experienced epileptic seizures associated with withdrawal. Physical signs of alcoholism had developed in 11 (22%); four (8%) had committed suicide. Social deterioration was noted in 24 patients. CAT scan results did not deviate from those found in a matched control sample.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003693:Delirium / Q000139:chemically induced; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012008:Recurrence; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013405:Suicide / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives