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The tables below contain a sample list of benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine analogs that are commonly prescribed, with their basic pharmacological characteristics, such as half-life and equivalent doses to other benzodiazepines, also listed, along with their trade names and primary uses.
A benzodiazepine can be placed into one of three groups by its elimination half-life, or time it takes for the body to eliminate half of the dose. [189] Some benzodiazepines have long-acting active metabolites , such as diazepam and chlordiazepoxide, which are metabolised into desmethyldiazepam .
The half-life of chlordiazepoxide is from 5 to 30 hours but has an active benzodiazepine metabolite, nordiazepam, which has a half-life of 36 to 200 hours. [31] The half-life of chlordiazepoxide increases significantly in the elderly, which may result in prolonged action as well as accumulation of the drug during repeated administration.
[6] [32] Diazepam is the most commonly used benzodiazepine for "tapering" benzodiazepine dependence due to the drug's comparatively long half-life, allowing for more efficient dose reduction. Benzodiazepines have a relatively low toxicity in overdose. [19] Diazepam has several uses, including:
Flurazepam is a "classical" benzodiazepine; some other classical benzodiazepines include diazepam, clonazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam, bromazepam, and clorazepate. [16] Flurazepam generates an active metabolite, N-desalkylflurazepam, with a very long elimination half-life. [3]
Potent benzodiazepines with a relatively short half-life, such as lorazepam, alprazolam, and triazolam, have the highest risk of causing dependence. [ 22 ] If regular treatment is continued for longer than four to six months, dose increases may be necessary to maintain effects, but treatment-resistant symptoms may in fact be benzodiazepine ...
[46] [47] Thus, quazepam may have less side effects than other benzodiazepines, but, it has a very long half-life of 25 hours, which reduces its benefits as a hypnotic due to likely next day sedation. It also has two active metabolites with half-lives of 28 and 79 hours.
Nordazepam is a partial agonist at the GABA A receptor, which makes it less potent than other benzodiazepines, particularly in its amnesic and muscle-relaxing effects. [6] Its elimination half life is between 36 and 200 hours, with wide variation among individuals; factors such as age and sex are known to impact it. [2]