Point-of-care Emergency Clinical Summary: Treatment of Benzodiazepine Toxicity and the Use of Flumazenil

In overdose/toxicity, benzodiazepines cause CNS depression, but death is rare and usually attributed to co-ingestion of other drugs or alcohol. Adulteration of benzodiazepines in British Columbia makes resuscitation complex. Flumazenil can be considered if known benzodiazepine overdose in the absence of coma NYD, mixed overdoses, and patients with benzodiazepine dependence (controversial).