Diazepam belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. It works by increasing the levels of a calming chemical in your brain. Depending on your health condition, this can make you feel drowsy, relieve anxiety, stop seizures or relax tense muscles.
Risk of dependence: Using diazepam, even as prescribed, can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal if you stop taking the drug suddenly. Withdrawal can be life threatening. Misuse or addiction: Taking this drug can also lead to misuse and addiction. Misuse of diazepam increases your risk for overdose and death.
Diazepam can make you feel sleepy, dizzy and forgetful when you first start taking it. You might also find it difficult to concentrate during the first few days of treatment and may experience blurred vision and muscle weakness.
When taken orally, people usually begin to feel the effects 15 to 60 minutes after ingestion. Rectal gel may be used for those who are experiencing seizures and begins working quickly after administration.
Diazepam causes drowsiness and muscle weakness and can impair concentration, alertness and judgement. These effects may continue into the following day. If affected do not drive or operate machinery.
Response and effectiveness. The peak effects of diazepam are seen within 1 to 1.5 hours in most people. Diazepam is metabolized to active metabolites and its effects may last for more than 24 hours and extend with repeated dosing as the drug accumulates in the body.
With diazepam, a nonbasic lipophilic amine, there was 30% uptake during the first pass through the human lung--significantly less than that observed with verapamil. With thiopental, an acidic lipophilic barbiturate, only 14% of the injected drug accumulated in the lung during the first pass.
Dosage for tablets and liquid
The usual dose is: anxiety – 2mg, taken 3 times a day, this can be increased to 5mg to 10mg, taken 3 times a day. sleep problems (related to anxiety) – 5mg to 15mg, taken once a day at bedtime.
Response and effectiveness. 90% of Valium is absorbed and the peak effect of Valium is seen within 1 to 1.5 hours in most people. Diazepam is 98% bound to plasma proteins. Food delays the time to peak to about 2.5 hours.
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine sleeping pill.
2 When influencing the GABA receptors, Valium slows down the central nervous system (CNS). This action decreases your feelings of nervousness and agitation and produces a sense of calm and relaxation. In this way, Valium also helps lessen the intensity of panic attacks and other anxiety symptoms.
In all of the previous studies, the dose of diazepam used (typically 10 or 15 mg) was sufficient to produce subjective changes in energy and alertness and measurable increases in response times on the tasks used.
Rebound Anxiety: A transient syndrome whereby the symptoms that led to treatment with Valium recur in an enhanced form. This may occur upon discontinuation of treatment. It may be accompanied by other reactions including mood changes, anxiety, and restlessness.
IMPORTANT WARNING: has been expanded. Diazepam may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma if used along with certain medications.
Do not take herbal remedies for anxiety or insomnia, such as valerian or passionflower, with diazepam. They can increase the drowsy effects of diazepam and may also have other side effects.
Who can take diazepam. Most adults aged 18 years and over can take diazepam tablets and liquid. People aged over 65 might need to take a lower dose. Children aged 1 month and older can take it for muscle spasms.
The most common side effect of diazepam is feeling drowsy. You're not recommended to use diazepam for longer than 4 weeks. If you take diazepam and feel sleepy, do not drive, cycle or use tools or machines. Do not drink alcohol while taking diazepam.
Valium, diazepam, is a long-acting benzodiazepine, that is often used, against recommendation, to treat anxiety disorders such as panic disorder.
Diazepam can be helpful when used as directed, but it can also result in adverse effects, including dependence, withdrawal symptoms, overdose, and addiction.
For anxiety: Adults—2 to 10 milligrams (mg) 2 to 4 times a day. Older adults—At first, 2 to 2.5 mg 1 or 2 times a day. Your doctor may increase your dose if needed.
Valium (diazepam) is a long-acting benzodiazepine with a half-life that ranges from 20 to 50 hours for a 5 mg dose. Valium is usually prescribed for anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it may also be used for the treatment of alcohol dependence or seizures.
Valium is a long-acting drug with effects that last for more than 12 hours. Its long duration of action is due to two main reasons: Valium is soluble in fat, and quickly leaves the bloodstream to reside in fat. Once diazepam is out of the blood, it takes longer for the body to break it down and get rid of it.
In double-blind sequential study, diazepam was compared with the proven antidepressant moclobemide, in patients with atypical depression. Both agents significantly improved depression ratings over eight weeks of treatment.
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine tranquilliser with anticonvulsant, sedative, muscle relaxant and amnesic properties 9,10,6. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam, bind to receptors in various regions of the brain and spinal cord. This binding increases the inhibitory effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) 9,10,6.
The benzodiazepines have a limited role in insomnia and diazepam is used for the short-term management of insomnia associated with anxiety. The BNF recommends a dose of 5 to 15 mg by mouth at bedtime.