Non-Alcohol Sedative Hypnotics
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Tom Fowlkes, MD Director of Professional & Medical Relations American Addiction Centers Oxford Treatment Center More Accurately We Will Talk About: Non-alcohol Sedative Hypnotics Objectives To review the history & pharmacology of benzodiazepines and other sedative-hypnotics To educate prescribers about the indications for the proper use of benzodiazepines To educate prescribers about the indications for discontinuation of therapy and tapering strategies To review recent information about benzodiazepine use and abuse Disclosures I have nothing to disclose. Except perhaps that I make my living treating people with substance abuse disorders and as a result I have not become the biggest advocate for widespread benzodiazepine use. Most of the information in this talk is taken from the medical literature. Some of the information is my own medical opinion. I have tried to point out when information is my opinion. What we are going to cover 2 Case studies What are Sedative Hypnotics/How they work History – Older Sedative-Hypnotics>BZ>Newer Drugs Pharmacology Differences in benzodiazepines (=benzo’s, = BZ) Clinical Use Safe Prescribing Abuse & Dependence Sedative-Hypnotics Suppress CNS activity Pharmacologically diverse Cause effects along a continuum of: calming> sleep >unconsciousness > coma > death Uses: Anxiolytics Hypnotics Anti-convulsants Muscle relaxants Anesthesia induction (Olkkola, 2008) GABA System Most all of these sedative hypnotics act on this GABA system. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter system in the CNS. There are GABA receptors with multiple sub-types in different regions, etc. GABA binds to these receptor sites causing a chloride ion channel to open and then all of these inhibitory things take place. (Roth et al., 2003) Ƴ- aminobutyric acid = GABA GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter system in the CNS. Stimulation of the GABA receptors lead to all the effects we are talking about: sedative, anti-convulsant, hypnotic, amnestic Benzodiazepines bind at the alpha sub-unit to cause positive modulation of the GABA receptors - meaning that they augment the effect of GABA at the receptor. (Roth et al., 2003) Benzos vs. Barbiturates: GABA A Receptor (http://www.neurocypres.eu/science) Case #1 to think about 56 yo female, new patient tells you: “Can you please just give me something for my nerves? My husband has been diagnosed with cancer. I just can’t sleep and I feel so anxious inside. I just need something to help me through this.” (Case study) Would it make a difference if you also knew? That she has no history of That she had in-patient substance abuse. treatment of alcoholism No history of depression or 3 years ago. mental illness. Has been treated for depression No family history of and insomnia for past 20 years. substance abuse. PMP shows 8 benzo rx in past 4 Took clonazepam months from 3 clinics. (Klonopin©) for about a She says “I know Xanax month after the death of her (alprazolam) will help. I mother 12 years ago, it helped sometimes buy a few from my and she discontinued it on neighbor and they help me her own. sleep.” (Case study) Case #2 to think about My 91 y.o. aunt is almost deaf, has lived alone since being widowed in her 50’s, no h/o substance abuse or mental health diagnosis except insomnia. For the last 10 years (ever since she retired) she has c/o insomnia to every doctor she has seen. (Case study) Case #2 – My Aunt Ambien Remeron Restoril Gabapentin Melatonin Flexeril Advil PM History of Sedative-Hypnotics Alcohol is the oldest Very similar chemically to what we are talking about today There could be a whole lecture devoted to alcohol use, dependence and withdrawal. We are not talking about that further today. (Miller, 2002) History – Late 1800’s Chloral hydrate© ‘Mickey Finn’ Paraldehyde Bromides (Miller, 2002) History- Early 1900’s-Barbiturates First prepared in 1864. Clinically introduced in the early 1900’s for use as sedative-hypnotics. Problems with safety: Dependence and Overdose (death) Replaced in popularity in the 1950’s and 1960’s by the benzodiazepines because of safety concerns (Miller, 2002) Barbiturates Are actual agonists at the GABA receptor (not just modulators). Causes prolonged opening of the chloride ion channel of the GABA receptor Paralysis of neurons responsible for respiratory drive Fatal overdose (Page et al., 2002) Barbiturates Today Phenobarbital- Still in use as an anti-convulsant Relatively low abuse potential Dysphoria or at least not much euphoria Stopping suddenly can lead to withdrawal seizures Needs to be tapered Some ultra-short acting barbiturates used for anesthesia induction (Page et al., 2002) Barbiturates Today Butalbital in Fiorinal©, Fioricet© & Esgic© Indication for tension headache Combined with aspirin or acetaminophen plus caffeine Fioricet #3© adds codeine Occasionally we see a patient whose primary drug of choice is butalbital Needs detox Can either taper or use a benzo (Ries, 2009) History- 1950’s- Minor Tranquilizers 1955- Meprobamate (Miltown©/Equanil©) Others: Methaqualone (Quaalude©) A pro-drug of meprobamate is still available as: Carisprodol (Soma©) Marketed as a muscle relaxant. Different than other skeletal muscle relaxants. (Page et al., 2002) History- 1960’s- Benzodiazepines 1957: chlordiazepoxide (Librium©) found to have hypnotic, sedative, and muscle relaxant effects Less toxic in overdose and fewer drug interactions than barbiturates Superior efficacy and safety compared to meprobamate In the 1960’s & 1970’s benzodiazepines became the sedative-hypnotics of choice (Miller, 2002) History- 1970’s- Valium© 1963- Valium© (Diazepam)released. Became the most prescribed benzodiazepine by 1973 (Miller, 2002) Benzodiazepines- ‘The Pams’ Many hundreds have been produced The differences are primarily in onset of action, potency, efficacy and length of action (half-life). 14 are on the market in the U.S. (Olkkola, 2008) Benzodiazepine in U.S.- 2016 alprazolam = Xanax ®, Xanax XR, Niravam ® chlordiazepoxide = <Librium® > clobazam = Onfi® clonazepam = Klonopin ® clorazepate = Tranxene T-tab ® diazepam = Valium ®, Diastat® estazolam = Prosom flurazepam = <Dalmane®> lorazepam = Ativan® midazolam = <Versed® > oxazepam = Serax ® quazepam = Doral ® temazepam = Restoril ® triazolam = Halcion ® < > = no longer sold as branded (drugs.com 2016) History- More Recent (1990’s) Non-benzodiazepine Hypnotics – “The Z Drugs” Zolpidem = Ambien© Zaleplon = Sonata© Zopiclone –sold in U.S. only as the S-isomer –eszopiclone = Lunesta© Pharmacologically diverse but are not BZ Very similar effects and mechanism of action to BZ (at the GABA –α site) Brought to market as potentially safer and less addiction liability than BZ Will talk more about later (Huedo-Medina et al., 2012) <Belsomra TV ad video here> Suvorexant = Approved FDA August 2014 First in kind mechanism of action Does not work via GABA, histamine or melatonin Is a DORA- dual orexin receptor antagonist DEA Response to comment opposing Schedule IV: The DEA does not agree. Suvorexant is a novel, first in class, new chemical substance and information on actual abuse data is not currently available. The legislative history of the CSA addresses the assessment of a new drug's potential for abuse,\2\ and data from clinical studies investigating the abuse potential for suvorexant suggests that its effect is similar to zolpidem (schedule IV). Similarly, while the mechanism of action for suvorexant is distinct from any currently marketed drug for insomnia, human abuse potential studies demonstrated that suvorexant produced effects that were indistinguishable from zolpidem (schedule IV). http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2014/fr0828.htm Benzodiazepine Pharmacology 1, 4 benzodiazepine ring structure All have similar activity as modulators at the GABA receptor. Differences are the additions at sites around the ring The variations are in potency, efficacy and onset of action. Has to do with lipophilicity, whether metabolized to an active metabolite or not, half-life (Page et al., 2002) (Ries, 2009) Benzodiazepines- Potency (Adapted from Ries, 2009) Benzodiazepine Metabolism Hepatic metabolism involving oxidation by the cytochrome P-450 system Some are converted to an active metabolite which is then slowly cleared. Final phase involves conjugation with a glucuronide. Safest for use with impaired hepatic function, or liver failure: Lorazepam (Ativan©), oxazepam (Serax©), and temazepam (Restoril©). Do not require hepatic oxidation, but only hepatic glucuronide conjugation, with rapid excretion. (Page et al., 2002) Special Note- Non-U.S. Benzo Flunitrazepam = Rohypnol© Not sold in U.S. Sold in Mexico and Central America as an hypnotic Prominent antero-grade amnesia Known as “Roofies” or the “Date Rape Drug” (Miller, 2002) Short term indications: < 6-8 weeks Initial management of panic, GAD, severe anxiety associated with depression while waiting on full effect of the first line meds Insomnia -1-2 weeks Alcohol and other drug withdrawal Muscle relaxation/spasm Seizure prophylaxis Single use for phobias (e.g. flying) (Ries, 2009) Anxiety Disorders: Prevalence 17% Lifetime Prevalence of Anxiety Disorders: 28.8% 10% (Kessler et al., 2005) 8% 5% 3.5% 2.5% (Sadock,BJ, et al., 2009) Anxiety disorders: Treatment Pharmacologic: 1) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) 2) Tricyclic antidepressants(TCAs) 3) Benzodiazepines 4) Monoamine oxidase