Background: Benzodiazepines (BNZ) constitute one of the pharmacological principles more widely prescribed in everywhere. It is estimated that they are consumed by 10-20% of people of western world.

Objective: To evaluate the presence of BNZ in a sample of patients who go to the Emergency Service of a Third Level Hospital, by medical, psychiatric or legal reason, and where the determination is indicate according to a established protocol by the clinic observation or suspicion of drug consumption.

Material and methods: In a sample of 703 patients (457 males and 246 females) has been performed the following experimental approaches: 1) by AbuscreenÒ (Roche) method we determined the presence of THC, cocaine, opiates, benzodiazepines, amphetamines, barbiturate, and 2) by CEDIA-DAUÒ (Microgenics) method we determined, in addition to the previous method, the presence of methadone, EDDP, amphetamines/ecstasy, LSD, 6-AM.

Results: BNZ were detected in 428 (60,8%) of 703 urine samples analysed. As unique substance was detected in 179 (42%) patients, whereas in patients treated with methadone was detected in 50 (12%). The more frequent associations were: THC-BNZ (5,8%), cocaine-opiates-BNZ (3,5%). In the positive samples there were the following mentioned antecedents of toxic consumption: opiates (33%), ethanol (18%), unspecified drug (17%), cocaine (12%), BNZ (11%), THC (5%).

Work partially supported by grant from the “Agencia Antidroga de la Comunidad de Madrid”