대한약국학회

Current Status of Tinnitus Patients 

Using Alprazolam at Local Pharmacy        

             Kyungmi  NA 1 ,  Hyunsuk  SOH 2

College of Pharmacy 1 , WS  University, Wan-ju 55338, Korea  

Serim  Pharmacy 2 , Ik-san, Korea 

Abstract 

Introduction Tinnitus  refers  to   the   subjective   feeling   of   noise   from   the   ear   regardless   of   external   sound   stimuli

,   and   is   said   to   be   experienced   by   more   than   95%   of   normal   people .   If   such   tinnitus   occurs   frequently

and

  interferes   with   daily   life,   it   becomes   a   clinical   problem   and   requires   consultation   and   treatment

by

a

specialist.

By

understanding

the

current

status

of

tinnitus

patients

using

Alprazolam,

you

can

predict

the

treatment

effect

of

Alprazolam

for

tinnitus.

Alprazolam , a benzodiazepine  type, is commonly  used  to treat  tinnitus , although  there  is controversy 

about the effectiveness of tinnitus treatment.

As

one

of

the

medications

for

the

treatment

of

tinnitus,

drugs

to

help

with

depression,

anxiety,

and

sleep

problems

caused

by

tinnitus

are

sometimes

used.

Method

From

January

1st

to

November

6th,

2020,

a

local

pharmacy

in

Iksan

City

selected

patients

who

were

prescribed

Alphram

Tablet

0.25mg

for

tinnitus

treatment

and

classified

them

by

age

and

administration

period.

A

visit

due

to

recurrence

was

considered

if

the

interval

between

visits

was

more

than

2

months

among

patients

who

visited

more

than

2

times.

Result

Of

the

170

patients

who

used

0.25mg

of

Alphram

tablets,

133

(78.14%)

were

in

their

50s

or

older,

and

the

minimum

dosing

date

at

the

first

visit

was

5

days.

The

most

frequent

7-day

medication

was

88

(

51.76%),

and

68

(40%)

had

two

or

more

visits,

of

which

15

(22%)

visited

due

to

recurrence.

Conclusion

Although

the

evidence

to

support

the

use

of

alprazolam

in

the

treatment

of

tinnitus

is

insufficient,

it

has

been

clinically

confirmed

that

it

is

partially

effective

in

the

treatment

of

tinnitus.

Since

individuals

differ

considerably

in

sensitivity

to

this

medication ,

Alprazolam

requires

more

careful

consideration

of

the

duration

of

adequate

treatment,

the

necessity

for

maintenance

therapy,

the

role

of

"

drug

holidays",

and

an

appropriate

dose

tapering

schedule.

It

should

be

fully

explained

and

applicable

to

the

patient

so

that

the

maximum

effect

is

achieved

with

the

minimum

dose.

Key

word:

Tinnitus,

Alprazolam,

Benzodiazepine

type,

Local

Pharmacy,

Drug

holidays