Buspirone treatment as an aid to benzodiazepine withdrawal

Twenty four long-term benzodiazepine users were allocated randomly to treatment with either buspirone (mean dose 25 mg/day) or placebo prior to tapering off the benzodiazepine over 6 weeks. In both groups, six out of 12 patients successfully completed withdrawal. However, buspirone-treated patients tended to hew lower anxiety levels than placebo-treated patients. The amount of previous benzodiazepine usage predicted outcome.