The predictive value of benzodiazepine tolerance in persistently aggressive schizophrenia.
The aim of this study was to determine whether benzodiazepine tolerance might provide a predictive marker for persistent aggression in schizophrenia. Seventy-seven male schizophrenic patients newly admitted to our psychiatric intensive care unit due to violent behavior during a 4-month period were examined. As a result, a high dose of benzodiazepine required for sedation or a short duration until regaining consciousness after the initial sedation, was related to severer aggression on waking up after sedation. Despite the small number of subjects examined, a conservative claim can be made that the level of the effect of benzodiazepine required for sedation seems to predict persistent severe aggression in schizophrenia.
Hatta
K
K
Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Metropolitan Bokuto Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Takahashi
T
T
Nakamura
H
H
Yamashiro
H
H
Endo
H
H
Kito
K
K
Fujii
S
S
Matsuzaki
I
I
Masui
K
K
Yonezawa
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D015415:Biomarkers; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D015415:Biomarkers; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D003975:Diazepam