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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 .
This is likely the result of the medication's long half-life, which continues to affect the user after waking up. [58] [59] [60] While benzodiazepines induce sleep, they tend to reduce the quality of sleep by suppressing or disrupting REM sleep. [61] After regular use, rebound insomnia may occur when discontinuing clonazepam. [62]
] Triazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine, is lipophilic, and is metabolised hepatically via oxidative pathways. The main pharmacological effects of triazolam are the enhancement of the neurotransmitter GABA at the GABA A receptor. [30] The half-life of triazolam is only 2 hours making it a very short acting benzodiazepine drug. [31]
An equianalgesic chart can be a useful tool, but the user must take care to correct for all relevant variables such as route of administration, cross tolerance, half-life and the bioavailability of a drug. [5] For example, the narcotic levorphanol is 4–8 times stronger than morphine, but also has a much longer half-life. Simply switching the ...
Diazepam, sold under the brand name Valium among others, is a medicine of the benzodiazepine family that acts as an anxiolytic. [15] It is used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, muscle spasms, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome. [15]
Oxazepam is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine of the 3-hydroxy family; it acts on benzodiazepine receptors, resulting in increased effect of GABA to the GABA A receptor which results in inhibitory effects on the central nervous system. [26] [27] The half-life of oxazepam is between 6 and 9 hours.
Midazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine in adults with an elimination half-life of 1.5–2.5 hours. [13] In the elderly, as well as young children and adolescents, the elimination half-life is longer. [44] [66] Midazolam is metabolised into an active metabolite alpha-hydroxymidazolam.