JP’s Benzo Calculator v1.0

6 Month Benzodiazepine Taper

Step 1 - Current benzodiazepine use
[select name="Q1" value="lorazepam=2|alprazolam=1|temazepam=30|chlordiazepoxide=25|diazepam=10|clonazepam=1"] <-- Current benzodiazepine
[text name="N1"] <-- Total daily dose of [var name="Q1" memo="current benzodiazepine"]

Step 2 - Use a long-acting benzodiazepine for the taper
Select a long acting benzodiazepine to use for the taper --> [select name="Q2" value="diazepam=10|clonazepam=1"]
Equivalent dose is [calc memo="dose" value="score=((N1)/(Q1))*(Q2)"] milligrams of [var name="Q2" memo="tapering benzodiazepine"] 

Step 3 - Suggested taper schedule (Note: doses should be checked for safety and may need to be adjusted to accommodate formulary supplies and availability)

Month 1:  [calc memo="dose" value="score1=((score)*.75).toFixed(1)"] milligrams of [var name="Q2" memo="tapering benzodiazepine"] qd - (25% decrease from the original dose)
Month 2:  [calc memo="dose" value="score4=((score)*.5).toFixed(1)"] milligrams of [var name="Q2" memo="tapering benzodiazepine"] qd - (50% decrease from the original dose)
Month 3:  [calc memo="dose" value="score6=((score)*.25).toFixed(1)"] milligrams of [var name="Q2" memo="tapering benzodiazepine"] qd - (75% decrease from the original dose)
Month 4:  continue current dose
Month 5:  [calc memo="dose" value="score7=((score)*.125).toFixed(1)"] milligrams of [var name="Q2" memo="tapering benzodiazepine"] qd - (87.5% decrease from the original dose)
Week 14:    Clinical    decision    to    decrease    quantity    or    continue    current    dosage.
Week 15:  discontinue

[checkbox memo="hide/display references and links" name="footnotes" value=""][conditional field="footnotes" condition="(footnotes).isNot('')"]
references and links: 
[link url="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19062773" memo="#1"] Lader M, Tylee A, Donoghue J. Withdrawing benzodiazepines in primary care. CNS Drugs. 2009;23(1):19-34. 
[link url="https://www.va.gov/painmanagement/docs/OSI_6_Toolkit_Taper_Benzodiazepines_Clinicians.pdf" memo="#2"] Effective Treatments for PTSD: Helping Patients Taper from Benzodiazepines.  United States Veteran's Administration website Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website https://www.va.gov/painmanagement/docs/OSI_6_Toolkit_Taper_Benzodiazepines_Clinicians.pdf Updated 2013. Accessed December 24, 2017 
[link url="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2017/1101/p606.html" memo="#3"] Ogbonna C, Lembke A. Curbside Consultation: Tapering Patients Off of Benzodiazepines Am Fam Physician. 2017 Nov 1;96(9):606-608.[/conditional]