What is LACH? The drug from “White Lotos” has a real risk

Victoria Ratliff, wife of a wealthy financier in season 3 HBO “White Lotus”, has a problem: pills still pop up.

And her chosen medicine, Labama Axeperal, left her a diminutive loop.

In a series that follows holiday guests in a fictitious resort, Victoria combines drugs with wine, which leads her to nodding at the table. Sometimes he moves his words.

When she notices that her wrestling of pills is mysteriously decreasing, she asks her children if they steal them.

“You don’t have enough LAMAPAM to survive a week at SPA Wellness?” her daughter Piper asks her.

“The White Lotus” is not the only program that recently contained these drugs. The novel max series “The Pitt”, which takes place in the emergency department, contains a story about a benzodiazepine called Librium.

It is not a coincidence that Hollywood accepts dramatic freedoms. Benzodiazepines, such as LACHEPAM and chlordazepoxide, are known for being very addictive. They can also come with arduous – sometimes fatal – withdrawal symptoms.

The unusual apply of benzodiazepine drugs by the characters is not scarce, said Dr. Ian C. Neel, Geriatric at UC San Diego Health. “We definitely see it in real life.”

And in recent years, he added, Studies have been demonstrated That this is a bigger problem than doctors initially realized.

A commonly used drug collection

Drugs, which are often called benzos or reductions, are widely used to treat anxiety, panic attacks and sleep disorders, such as restless leg syndrome. They can also be used for other reasons, such as helping people deal with withdrawing alcohol.

Other popular benzodiazepines include Diazepam (Valium), Klonazepam (Klonopin) and Alprazolam (Xanax).

Unlike antidepressants, the start of the work of which may take weeks, most benzodiazepines can ensure relief within a few minutes – which can comfort nervous leaflets and others that need a quick relief in a specific situation. But if they are taken for longer periods, patients can develop tolerance within weeks of starting the medicine, even using it in accordance with the recipe, said Dr. Ludmila de Faria, Chairman of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Women’s Mental Health.

“This is where people get into trouble,” she added and began to take more medicine. “The same dose will no longer get rid of symptoms.”

In addition, drugs Clonazepam and Diazepam last longer in the body than compact -acting drugs such as alprazolam. “People are not aware of this,” she said. “So they take many doses and accumulate”, which can cause people “walk as if they had a few drinks.”

All these combined factors led to drugs widely used. In 2019, the latest available pharmacy data issued about 92 million benzodiazepine prescriptions, as US Food and Drug Administration. Studies suggest that drugs are most often prescribed adults at the age 50 and 64.

Delirium, falls and other risk

In 2020The FDA has updated the information provided for the provisions and patients for all benzodiazepines to warn against the risk of physical addiction, withdrawal reaction, improper apply, abuse and addiction.

Ideally, these dangers were explained to the patient before they took the first pill. But this does not always happen. And even if the patient receives appropriate counseling: “One thing is to say, and then another thing to experience it,” said Dr. Neel.

He said that he often sees patients who already take a cocktail of other drugs and do not understand the dangers of combining benzodiazepines, which are depressants, with other drugs that also have sedatives such as sleep medicine or benadril.

And if you are going to drink alcohol or apply marijuana, it’s best to have no benzodiazepine in your system. When people combine substances that have a depressive effect, it can even disturb their breathing.

The geriatric population, which is treated by Dr. Neel, is particularly sensitive because benzodiazepines are metabolized differently as aging, he added, remaining in the body for a long time. As a result, the elderly who take them may be more prone to car accidents or accidents. Drugs can also cause delirium in patients with dementia.

But drugs can be risky for people of all ages, which is why they are usually prescribed for a compact time – usually four weeks or less – and are considered to be the final treatment of the chronic state, said Dr. Neel.

A fragile withdrawal process

AND Research 2019 He stated that almost 20 percent of people who take benzodiazepines apply them incorrectly. If someone develops a relationship, quitting smoking can be arduous, partly due to intense withdrawal symptoms.

These symptoms may include sleep disorders, irritability, sweating, palpitations, increased blood pressure and stomach problems such as dehydrated wave.

Drug unscrewing should be done a fragile way, preferably under the supervision of a doctor.

It is “almost like landing of the plane, in which there is a gradual descent,” said Dr. John Tork, a psychiatrist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

He added that it happens that the patient can try different methods to sleep more and talk to the therapist about strategies that lend a hand in dealing with fear.

In addition, there are other drugs such as clonidine, which can be used to treat anxiety, as well as lend a hand in any withdrawal symptoms.

Dr. Torara added that ultimately it is always more effective to identify and deal with the original cause of anxiety. “Benzos attract rapid relief in the brain, but one day they wear out – this quick relief has disappeared.”