New labels warn against mixing opioids, benzodiazepines (CNN)

Wednesday Aug 31st, 2016

In the Food and Drug Administration's latest move to help stem the tide of drug overdoses, it is now requiring "black-box warnings" on nearly 400 products to warn about the dangers of using opioid painkillers in combination with benzodiazepines, drugs commonly used to treat neurological and psychological conditions including seizure, anxiety and insomnia.

Both opioids, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and alprazolam, can slow the central nervous system. Using them together can lead to extreme sleepiness, respiratory depression, coma and death.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/31/health/black-box-warning-opioid-benzodiaze...

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