Which of the following is a common side effect of anti-anxiety medications, particularly benzodiazepines?

Appeared in: BTSC Staff Nurse 30July-2025

Explanation

Benzodiazepines are central nervous system (CNS) depressants used for anxiety.
They work by enhancing the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which slows down brain activity.
This CNS depression directly causes the most common side effects: drowsiness, sedation, and decreased alertness.
The side effects are an extension of the drug's primary therapeutic mechanism.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Benzodiazepines cause CNS depression, which typically leads to hypotension (low blood pressure), not elevation.
Option C: A well-known adverse effect of benzodiazepines is anterograde amnesia, which is the impairment of forming new memories.
Option D: The sedative nature of benzodiazepines leads to fatigue, lethargy, and reduced energy.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Common side effects of benzodiazepines as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Patient safety is a primary concern. Nurses must educate patients about the risks of drowsiness, especially concerning driving and operating machinery.
Fall risk is significantly increased, particularly in older adults. The nurse's role includes implementing fall precautions and advocating for the lowest effective dose.
Patient education should strongly emphasize avoiding alcohol and other CNS depressants, as the combination can lead to severe respiratory depression and death.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the drug class mentioned in the question: anti-anxiety medications, specifically benzodiazepines.
Recall the primary mechanism of this drug class. Benzodiazepines are Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants.
Think about what 'depressing' the CNS means in terms of physiological effects: slowing things down, calming, inducing sleep.
Evaluate the options based on this core concept. 'Drowsiness and sedation' is a direct result of CNS depression.
Eliminate the other options: 'Elevated blood pressure,' 'enhanced memory,' and 'increased energy' are all opposite to the effects of a CNS depressant.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Common side effects of benzodiazepines
Stem keywords: side effect, anti-anxiety medications, benzodiazepines
Lead-in keywords: Which
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QmZsxQSSOXx55JZAZbMhxd

Reference Book

E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 1 pp. 270-272, 205-207

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 10545-10547

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