A 4-6-year follow-up of 50 patients with primary dependence on sedative and hypnotic drugs.

The authors studied 50 of 55 patients originally hospitalized for primary sedative-hypnotic dependence 4-6 years after hospital discharge. Forty-two (84%) of the patients had resumed using sedative-hypnotics, 26 (52%) were abusing drugs at follow-up, and 21 (42%) had been readmitted for drug abuse. Three patients experienced delirious states and six experienced epileptic seizures associated with withdrawal. Physical signs of alcoholism had developed in 11 (22%); four (8%) had committed suicide. Social deterioration was noted in 24 patients. CAT scan results did not deviate from those found in a matched control sample.