Do All Benzodiazepines Show Up On A Drug Test?

If someone is wondering whether benzodiazepines will show up on a drug test, the answer isn’t straightforward. While all benzos belong to the same drug family and work similarly in the brain, they don’t all appear the same way on drug screenings. This can be confusing for people who need to understand how these medications might affect their test results.

Drug tests typically don’t look for the actual benzodiazepine a person took. Instead, they detect metabolites, the breakdown products that the body creates when it processes these medications. Since different benzos create different metabolites, and some tests are more sensitive than others, the results can vary depending on which specific medication someone has taken and what type of test is being used.

What Types Of Drug Tests Can Detect Benzodiazepines?

Conventional drug tests, or standard panels, aren’t always able to detect the use of addictive prescription drugs like benzodiazepines. But they can be detected in comprehensive drug tests.

Types of drug tests that can detect benzodiazepines:

• urine tests
• saliva tests
• blood tests
• hair tests

Comprehensive drug panels may be used to test for drug use for people who are suspected of substance misuse or have a known history of prescription drug abuse.

How Does Xanax Show Up On A Drug Test?

Xanax, a brand name for alprazolam, is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine that metabolizes to alpha-hydroxyalprazolam. Xanax is detected by this metabolite.

Read more about Xanax drug test detection times

How Does Ativan Show Up On A Drug Test?

Ativan, a brand name for lorazepam, metabolizes to lorazepam glucuronide. The presence of this substance on a drug test may indicate Ativan use.

How Does Klonopin Show Up On A Drug Test?

Klonopin, a brand name for clonazepam, is detected by the presence of 7-aminoclonazepam, a substance that Klonopin metabolizes to when it’s broken down in the body.

Learn more about how long Klonopin stays in your system

How Does Restoril Show Up On A Drug Test?

Restoril, a brand name for temazepam, metabolizes to oxazepam. Detecting this metabolite on a drug test can be indicative of Restoril use.

How Does Valium Show Up On A Drug Test?

Valium, a brand name for diazepam, first metabolizes to nordiazepam and temazepam. The final product of the metabolic process is oxazepam. Thus, Valium use may be detected in the body by the presence of three metabolites: nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam on a drug screen.

How Does Librium Show Up On A Drug Test?

Librium, a brand name for chlordiazepoxide, first metabolizes to nordiazepam. This substance further breaks down into oxazepam. The presence of both substances, nordiazepam and oxazepam, can be indicative of Librium use.

How Does Flurazepam Show Up On A Drug Test?

Flurazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine that metabolizes to 2-hydroxyethyl flurazepam, which can remain detectable in the blood and other testing specimen for days.

How Does Rohypnol Show Up On A Drug Test?

Rohypnol, a brand name for the illicit drug flunitrazepam, can be detected as the metabolite 7-aminoflunitrazepam.

Drugs That Can Affect Benzodiazepine Drug Test Results

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, there are several drugs that can cross-react with benzodiazepines and potentially provide a false positive for benzodiazepine use.

Drugs that can provide a false positive for benzodiazepine use include:

• etodolac (Lodine)
• fenoprofen
• naproxen
• oxaprozin (Daypro)
• sertraline (Zoloft)
• tolmetin

Doctors who test patients for drug use may take this information into consideration upon analyzing and drawing conclusions from drug test results.

What Factors Can Affect How Benzodiazepines Show Up On Drug Tests?

Several important factors can influence whether benzodiazepines will be detected on a drug test and how long they remain detectable in someone’s system.

Factors that can affect benzodiazepine drug test results include:

• Dose Taken: higher doses of benzodiazepines typically stay in the system longer and are more likely to be detected on drug tests compared to smaller therapeutic doses
• Type of Benzodiazepines Taken: different benzos have varying detection windows; long-acting medications like Valium can be detected much longer than short-acting ones like Halcion
• Length of Time Since Last Dose: the more time that passes after taking a benzodiazepine, the less likely it is to show up on a test, though detection windows vary by medication type
• Polysubstance Use: taking multiple substances can affect how the body processes benzodiazepines and may extend detection times or create interactions that influence test results
• Type of Drug Panel Used: different tests have varying sensitivity levels; some basic panels might miss certain benzos while more comprehensive tests can detect a wider range of medications
• Drug Dependence: people who use benzodiazepines regularly or have developed dependence may have longer detection windows due to drug accumulation in their system
• Metabolic Rate: individual differences in metabolism affect how quickly the body breaks down and eliminates benzodiazepines, with faster metabolisms typically clearing drugs more quickly

These factors work together to create a unique detection profile for each individual, making it difficult to predict exact detection times. Healthcare providers and testing facilities consider these variables when interpreting drug test results and determining appropriate testing methods.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff