DIAZEPAM IN A GENERAL PSYCHIATRIC PRACTICE

WINSTON E. BURDINEAuthors Info & Affiliations

Publication: American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 121, Number 6

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.121.6.589

Get Access

Abstract

Diazepam was administered to 108 patients under treatment in a general psychiatric practice. The diagnoses included psychoneurotic and psychotic reactions, character disorders, alcoholism, and drug addiction.

Initial diazepam dosages ranged from 10 to 80 mg. per day with later adjustments to meet the patient's needs. Concurrent therapy included psychotherapy, administration of antidepressants and phenothiazine derivatives, and ECT or ICT. Duration of treatment was from 3 days to 7 months.

The results were satisfactory in 91 patients and unsatisfactory in 17. Side effects occurred in 20 patients and necessitated discontinuance of therapy in 10. These side effects included ataxia, dizziness, nightmares, skin rash, and miscellaneous subjective responses.

Diazepam was considered an effective drug for adjunctive use in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Used alone it was effective in less severe psychoneurotic reactions, and in conjunction with other treatment methods was of marked benefit in the more severe reactions and psychotic disturbances. It also proved useful in the management of alcoholic coma, delirium tremens, and drug withdrawal, and during rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug addicts.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Get Access

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 121 • Number 6 • December 1964

Pages: 589 - 592

PubMed: 14239461

History

Published in print: December 1964

Published online: 1 April 2006

Authors

Affiliations

WINSTON E. BURDINE

Atlanta, Ga.

View all articles by this author

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format	RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks
Direct importt
Citation style
Style

Copy to clipboard
Tips for downloading citations

There are no citations for this item

View Options

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login

Purchase Options

Purchase this article to access the full text.

PPV Articles - American Journal of Psychiatry

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR^® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

DIAZEPAM IN A GENERAL PSYCHIATRIC PRACTICE

Abstract

Get full access to this article