The predictive value of benzodiazepine tolerance in persistently aggressive schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to determine whether benzodiazepine tolerance mig ht provide a predictive marker for persistent aggression in schizophrenia, Seventy-seven male schizophrenic patients newly admitted to our psychiatric intensive care unit due to violent behavior during a 4-month period were e xamined, As a result, a high dose of benzodiazepine required for sedation o r a short duration until regaining consciousness after the initial sedation , was related to severer aggression on waking up after sedation, Despite th e small number of subjects examined, a conservative claim can be made that the level of the effect of benzodiazepine required for sedation seems to pr edict persistent severe aggression in schizophrenia.