Benzodiazepines (BZDs) and Z-drugs are strongly addictive substances, acting on identical GABA receptors. Detoxification should be long-term and gradual, usually by tapering a long-acting BZD (diazepam) but no suitable commercial pharmaceutic product exists with the necessary low drug content. This review describes the specific pharmacological aspects and comparisons of individual BZDs in relation to their effects and addictiveness. The success of the treatment relates to the patients comfort during this process. Patients are typically afraid of switching to a more suitable long-acting BZD (diazepam), and become stressed during the tapering and anxious from withdrawal symptoms. These obstacles could be overcome through individualized detoxification according to already published withdrawal schedules based on the administration of very precise diazepam doses in a long-term gradual tapering with possible addition of adjuvant drugs. Dose reduction does not change external appearance of the dosage form, and the patient could be treated until the placebo phase. Individually prepared pharmaceutics with different and precise diazepam contents can be used for comfortable detoxification and also may eliminate psychogenic stress during switching, tapering, and the withdrawal period.
Keywords: Z-drugs; addiction; benzodiazepines; detoxification; tapering; withdrawal.