| |
Back to Psychiatry Drug Index
Name: Diazepam
Pregnancy Category D
C-IV controlled substance
Drug classes
- Benzodiazepine
- Antianxiety drug
- Antiepileptic drug
- Centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant
Therapeutic actions
Exact mechanisms of action not understood; acts mainly at the limbic
system and reticular formation; may act in spinal cord and at supraspinal
sites to produce skeletal muscle relaxation; potentiates the effects of
GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter; anxiolytic effects occur at doses
well below those necessary to cause sedation, ataxia; has little effect
on cortical function.
Indications
Management of anxiety disorders or for short-term relief of symptoms
of anxiety
Acute alcohol withdrawal; may be useful in symptomatic relief of acute
agitation, tremor, delirium tremens, hallucinosis
Muscle relaxant: adjunct for relief of reflex skeletal muscle spasm
due to local pathology (inflammation of muscles or joints) or secondary
to trauma; spasticity caused by upper motoneuron disorders (cerebral palsy
and paraplegia); athetosis, stiff-man syndrome
Treatment of tetanus (parenteral)
Antiepileptic: adjunct in status epilepticus and severe recurrent convulsive
seizures (parenteral); adjunct in convulsive disorders (oral)
Preoperative: relief of anxiety and tension and to lessen recall in
patients prior to surgical procedures, cardioversion, and endoscopic procedures
(parenteral)
Unlabeled use: treatment of panic attacks
Contraindications/cautions
Contraindicated in the presence of hypersensitivity to benzodiazepines;
psychoses, acute narrow-angle glaucoma, shock, coma, acute alcoholic intoxication;
pregnancy (cleft lip or palate, inguinal hernia, cardiac defects, microcephaly,
pyloric stenosis have been reported when used in first trimester; neonatal
withdrawal syndrome reported in babies); lactation.
Use caution in elderly or debilitated patients; impaired liver or kidney
function.
|
|
|
|
Are you a doctor or a nurse?
Do you want to join the Doctors Lounge online medical community?
Participate in editorial activities (publish, peer review, edit) and
give a helping hand to the largest online community of patients.
Click on the link below to see the requirements:
Doctors Lounge Membership
Application |
|
Adverse effects
- CNS: Transient, mild drowsiness initially; sedation, depression,
lethargy, apathy, fatigue, lightheadedness, disorientation, restlessness,
confusion, crying, delirium, headache, slurred speech, dysarthria, stupor,
rigidity, tremor, dystonia, vertigo, euphoria, nervousness,
difficulty in concentration, vivid dreams, psychomotor retardation,
extrapyramidal symptoms; mild paradoxical excitatory reactions, during
first 2 wk of treatment, visual and auditory disturbances, diplopia,
nystagmus, depressed hearing, nasal congestion
- GI: Constipation; diarrhea; dry mouth; salivation; nausea; anorexia;
vomiting; difficulty in swallowing; gastric disorders; elevations of
blood enzymes-LDH, alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, SGPT; hepatic dysfunction;
jaundice
- CV: Bradycardia, tachycardia, cardiovascular collapse, hypertension
and hypotension, palpitations, edema
- Hematologic: Decreased hematocrit, blood dyscrasias
- GU: Incontinence, urinary retention, changes in libido, menstrual
irregularities
- Dermatologic: Urticaria, pruritus, skin rash, dermatitis
- Dependence: Drug dependence with withdrawal syndrome when drug is
discontinued (more common with abrupt discontinuation of higher dosage
used for longer than 4 mo); IV diazepam: 1.7% incidence of fatalities;
oral benzodiazepines ingested alone; no well-documented fatal overdoses
- Other: Phlebitis and thrombosis at IV injection sites, hiccups,
fever, diaphoresis, paresthesias, muscular disturbances, gynecomastia;
pain, burning, and redness after IM injection
|
|
send
to a friend
printer
friendly version
