To BDZ or not to BDZ? That is the question! Is there reliable scientific evidence for or against using benzodiazepines in the aftermath of potentially traumatic events for the prevention of PTSD? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Most international guidelines suggest that benzodiazepines (BDZs) may be inefficient or iatrogenic in the aftermath of a potentially traumatic event (PTE). The goal of this study was to assess the strength of the evidence on whether the use of BDZs in the aftermath of a PTE negatively affects the incidence and severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: We systematically scrutinized the ISI Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and PTSDpubs electronic databases in addition to citation searching.