Today, May 28th, at ANEX half-day conference at St.Vincent’s with about 100 others.
Topic was XANAX, four speakers, all good, some overlap.
Suzi Nielsen (pharmacist, Turning Point)
. last two years of data (07-08) alpraz was most common BZD injected by IDU, previously diazepam.
. a rare side-effect is paradoxical aggression, and it may not be remembered or even recognised
. side-effects most common with pre-existing BPD, EtOH, high doses or IV, any brain injury
. features – short T1/2, inc w/d symptoms, larger quantities, more toxic in o/d (more ICU, more flumazenil)
. see DHS drugservice report on misuse
. evidence of disproportionate harm (cf equivalent others) – seizures, crime, traffic offenses
. small study of use in OST – mental impairment esp recall **dec O2 saturation only with concurrent methadone**
Malcolm Dobbin
. PBS (authority) script $5.30, off-line Kalma 2mgx50 $15 at Chemist Warehouse
. 2mg is the “brick” format, $5 ea
. anterograde amnesia, fugue (stealing), Rambo
. policy steps needed to control temazepam liquid caps – extensive back & forth between committees, pharma resistant to any change, Temaz was in top 10, solution was to get it off PBS bec tablet form availible which killed sales and by time it was made S8 the problem was solved
. then the focus shifted to Unisom Gelcaps
Fran Bramwell (GP at Health Works, Footscray and Living Room,CBD)
. bricks 3 for $10 at Footscray
. binds to GABA-a receptor (inhibition) 80-100% bioavailable, peak 1-2hr,
. legal implications of impairment ?
. harm reduction tips for cocktail users – know potency of heroin, carry only small quantities of pills (amnesic), don’t mix with EtOH, never use alone, if group use one should abstain
Damon Brogan (VIVAIDS)
. doctor shopping in Vic -> drug dependence register (doctor shopper database) and may interfere with later legit needs for analgesia
5/6/09 – pdfs here
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