Table 3:

Medications commonly associated with withdrawal-related adverse events^44,45

Medication	Effect of discontinuation*	Withdrawal-related manifestations
Increased risk of discontinuation syndrome
Antianginal agent	Recurrence	Angina
Anticonvulsant	Withdrawal, recurrence	Anxiety, depression, seizures
Benzodiazepine	Withdrawal, rebound, recurrence: common strategy is to taper by 10% of the dose every 1–2 wk until the dose is at 20% of the original dose, then taper by 5% every 2–4 wk	Seizures, agitation, anxiety, delirium, insomnia
Beta-blocker	Rebound, recurrence	Angina, hypertension, acute coronary syndrome, tachycardia
Corticosteroid	Withdrawal, rebound, recurrence if used long term	Anorexia, hypotension, nausea, suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis
Decreased risk of discontinuation syndrome
ACE inhibitor	Recurrence	Heart failure, hypertension
Antipsychotic	Withdrawal, recurrence: When used for behavioural and psychiatric symptoms of dementia, taper dose with goal to stop drug every 3 mo or more if clinically appropriate (taper by 25% every 1–2 wk) Some behaviours decline as disease worsens	Dyskinesias, insomnia, nausea, restlessness
Anticholinergic	Withdrawal	Anxiety, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness
Digoxin	Recurrence: patients can usually be followed for signs and symptoms of heart failure and medication restarted as needed	Heart failure, tachycardia
Diuretic	Recurrence	Heart failure, hypertension, edema
Narcotic analgesia	Withdrawal: if medication used long term, tapering will decrease risk of physical withdrawal	Abdominal cramping, anxiety, chills, diaphoresis, diarrhea, insomnia

Note: ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme.

^*Recurrence = recurrence of original symptoms, withdrawal = symptoms associated with withdrawal, rebound = recurrent symptoms that are worse than the original symptoms.