The clinical relevance of the distinction between short- and long-acting benzodiazepine anxiolytics is discussed, and emphasis is placed on the persistence of these drugs′ effects on functioning throughout a course of treatment. Nootropics (drugs that might benefit driving in older adults) are discussed. However, the evidence that any drug produces such positive benefits is currently weak.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Brookhuis, K. A., Borgman, A. E., Roos, E. P. M.de, Vries. G., and Broekhuis, J. (1987). The effects of clorazepate 5 mg, oxazepam 10 mg. and lorazepam 0.5 mg on aspects of driving performance and driving-related skills (Tech. Report VK 87-10). Groningen, The Netherlands: University of Groningen, Traffic Research Centre.
2.
Ellinwood, E. H., Jr., and Nikaido, A. M. (1987). Perceptual-neuromotor pharmacodynamics of psychotropic drugs. In H. Y. Meltzer (Ed.), Psychopharmacology: A third generation of progress (pp. 1457-1466). New York: Raven.
3.
Greenblatt, D. J., and Shader, R. J. (1987). Pharmacokinetics of antianxiety agents. In H. Y. Meltzer (Ed.), Psychopharmacology: A third generation of progress (pp. 1377-1386). New York: Raven.
4.
Linnoila, M., Erwin, C. W., Brendel, A., and Simpson, D. (1983). Psychomotor effects of diazepam in anxious patients and healthy volunteers. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 3, 88-96.
5.
Louwerens, J. W., Gloerich, A. B. M.de Vries, G., Brookhuis, K. A., and O'Hanlon, J. F. (1987). The relationship between drivers' blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and actual driving performance during highspeed travel. In P. C. Noordzij and R. Roszbach (Eds.), Alcohol, drugs and Traffic Safety-T86 (pp. 183-186) Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica.
6.
Moskowitz, H., Linnoila, M., and Roehrs, T. (1990). Psychomotor performance in chronic insomniacs during 14-day use of flurazepam and midazolam. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 10, 445-555.
7.
Ray, W. A., Gurwitz, J., Decker, M. D., and Kennedy, D. L. (1992). Medications and the safety of the older driver: Is there a basis for concern?Human Factors, 34, 33-47.
8.
Riedel, W. J., Quasten, R., Hausen, C., and O'Hanlon, J. F. (1988). A study comparing the hypnotic efficacies and residual effects on actual driving performance of midazolam 10 mg, triazolam 0.5 mg, temazepam 20 mg, and placebo in shiftworkers on night duty (Tech. Report IGVG 88-01). Maastricht, The Netherlands: University of Limburg, Institute of Drugs, Safety and Behavior.
9.
Schmidt, U., Brendemuhl, D., and Schenk, N. (1988). Kan Das Nootropikum Piracetam das Fahrverhalten alterer Kraftfahrer beeinflussen? (Zwischenergebnisse einer kontrollierten Doppelblindstudie) [Can the nootrope piracetam influence the driving ability of elder drivers? (Interim results of a controlled, double-blind study)]. In H. Helmchen (Ed.), Wirkungen und Virksamkeit von Nootropika (pp. 63-71) Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
10.
Volkerts, E. R., Abbink, F., van Laar, M. W., Plomp, T. A., and Maes, R. A. A. (1988). Comparison of the effects of ritanserin 5 mg b.i.d. and lorazepam 1.5 mg b.i.d. upon driving performance in an over-the-road test (Tech. Report). Utrecht, The Netherlands: University of Utrecht, The Netherlands Institute for Drugs and Doping Research.
11.
Volkerts, E. R., Brookhuis, K. A., and O'Hanlon, J. F. (1987). Comparison of the effects of buspirone 5 mg and 10 mg, diazepam 5 mg and lorazepam (t.i.d.) upon actual driving performance (Tech. Report VK 87-02). Groningen, The Netherlands: University of Groningen, Traffic Research Centre.