Boston Medical Center's 2021 Annual Meeting Fellows Lightning Round Presentation

Jordana Laks, MD MPH, and Morgan Younkin, MD MPH, then-fellows from the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center, presented "Outpatient Benzodiazepine Taper in a Low Barrier Setting" at the 2021 ACAAM Annual Meeting.

Drs. Laks and Younkin's presentation explored the development of an outpatient extended-duration benzodiazepine taper protocol for patients with benzodiazepine use disorder in a low barrier addiction treatment bridge clinic. The need for a benzodiazepine taper protocol was demonstrated by clinical experience with a small number of individualized benzodiazepine tapers in this setting as well as a literature review supporting the benefits of extended duration tapers. The developed protocol includes patient eligibility criteria, a standardized stabilization phase, taper duration of 4-6 weeks, and recommended monitoring.

The protocol is currently being implemented with the availability of addiction psychiatry consultation for select patients.

View the presentation slides.

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