Is it appropriate to prescribe benzodiazepines to methadone patients?
Generally, no. In accordance with the American Psychiatric Association’s practice guideline for the treatment of panic disorder, we strongly discourage the use of benzodiazepines by our patients. Iatrogenic complications from use of this class of medication are very common among methadone patients. We commonly see marked functional deterioration (frequent intoxication, impaired judgement, disorientation, etc) in patients being treated with benzodiazepines, even when the medication was prescribed for legitimate reasons. There are, however, some methadone patients who do benefit from benzodiazepine therapy. For this reason, we do not arbitrarily ban the use of prescribed benzodiazepines. But we do ask that their use be coordinated with the clinic’s medical staff.
