List of benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines
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The core structure of benzodiazepines. "R" labels denote common locations of side chains, which give different benzodiazepines their unique properties.
Benzodiazepine
List of benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepine overdose
Benzodiazepine dependence
Benzodiazepine drug misuse
Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome
Long-term effects of benzodiazepines

The below tables contain a list of benzodiazepines 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. The elimination half life is how long it takes for half of the drug to be eliminated by the body. "Time to peak" refers to when maximum levels of the drug in the blood occur after a given dose. Benzodiazepines generally share the same pharmacological properties, such as anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, skeletal muscle relaxant, amnesic and anticonvulsant, but some variation in potency of certain effects may exist among individual benzodiazepines. Some benzodiazepines produce active metabolites. Active metabolites are produced when a person's body metabolizes the drug into compounds that share a similar pharmacological profile to the parent compound and thus are relevant when calculating how long the pharmacological effects of a drug will last. Long-acting benzodiazepines with long-acting active metabolites such as diazepam and chlordiazepoxide are often prescribed for benzodiazepine or alcohol withdrawal or for anxiety if constant dose levels are required throughout the day. Shorter-acting benzodiazepines are often preferred for insomnia due to their lesser hangover effect.

Benzodiazepine half life and equivalent dose table

See also: Benzodiazepine drug misuse#Risk factors for misuse

It is important to note that the elimination half life of diazepam and chlordiazepoxide as well as other long half-life benzodiazepines is twice as long in the elderly compared to younger individuals. Individuals with an impaired liver also metabolise benzodiazepines more slowly. Many doctors make the mistake of not adjusting benzodiazepine dosage according to age in elderly patients. Thus the equivalent doses below may need to be adjusted accordingly in individuals on short acting benzodiazepines who metabolise long-acting benzodiazepines more slowly and vice versa. The changes are most notable with long acting benzodiazepines as these are prone to significant accumulation in such individuals. For example the equivalent dose of diazepam in an elderly individual on lorazepam may be up to half of what would be expected in a younger individual. Awareness of the differences in equivalencies between individual benzodiazepines can differ by 20 fold on a mg per mg basis, is necessary for the safe and effective use of benzodiazepines.

Drug Name	Common Brand Names*	Time to Peak (Onset of action in hours)	Elimination Half-Life (h)† [active metabolite]	Therapeutic use	Approximate Equivalent Dose‡
Alprazolam	Ksalol, Xanax, Xanor, Tafil, Alprox, Frontal (Brazil)	1-2	6-12 hours	anxiolytic	0.5 mg
Bretazenil	N/A	???	2.5 hours	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	0.5 mg
Bromazepam	Lexotanil, Lexotan, Lexomil, Somalium, Bromam	1-3	10-20 hours	anxiolytic	5-6 mg
Chlordiazepoxide	Librium, Tropium, Risolid, Klopoxid	1.5-4	5-30 hours [36-200 hours]	anxiolytic	25 mg
Cinolazepam	Gerodorm	.5-2	9 h	hypnotic	40 mg
Clonazepam	Klonopin, Rivotril, Iktorivil	1-4	18-50 hours	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	0.5 mg
Cloxazolam	Olcadil (Brazil)	2-5 (?)	18-50 hours	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	1 mg
Clorazepate	Tranxene	Variable	[36-100 hours]	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	15 mg
Diazepam	Valium, Pax (South Africa), Apzepam, Stesolid, Vival, Apozepam, Hexalid, , Stedon, Valaxona	1-2	20-100 hours [36-200]	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant	10 mg
Estazolam	ProSom	0.5-5	10-24 h	hypnotic	1-2 mg
Flunitrazepam	Rohypnol, Fluscand, Flunipam, Ronal, Rohydorm (Brazil)	0.5-3	18-26 hours [36-200 hours]	hypnotic	1 mg
Flurazepam	Dalmadorm, Dalmane	1-1.5	[40-250 hours]	hypnotic	15-30 mg
Flutoprazepam	Restas	0.5-9	60-90 hours	hypnotic, anticonvulsant	2-3 mg
Halazepam	Paxipam	1-3	[30-100 hours]	anxiolytic	20-40 mg
Ketazolam	Anxon	2.5-3	30-100 hours [36-200]	anxiolytic	15-30 mg
Loprazolam	Dormonoct	0.5-4	6-12 hours	hypnotic	1-2 mg
Lorazepam	Ativan, Temesta, Tavor, Lorabenz	2-4	10-20 hours	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	1 mg
Lormetazepam	Loramet, Noctamid, Pronoctan	0.5-2	10-12 hours	hypnotic	1-2 mg
Medazepam	Nobrium	?	36-200 hours	anxiolytic	10 mg
Midazolam	Dormicum, Versed, Hypnovel, Dormonid (Brazil)	0.5-1	3 hours (1.8-6 hours)	hypnotic, anticonvulsant	5 -8mg
Nimetazepam	Erimin	0.5-3	14-30 hours	hypnotic, anticonvulsant	5 mg
Nitrazepam	Mogadon, Alodorm, Pacisyn, Dumolid	0.5-7	15-38 hours	hypnotic, anticonvulsant	10 mg
Nordazepam	Madar, Stilny	?	50-120 hours	anxiolytic	10 mg
Oxazepam	Seresta, Serax, Serenid, Serepax, Sobril, Oxascand, Alopam, Oxabenz, Oxapax	3-4	4-15 hours	anxiolytic	20 mg
Phenazepam	феназепам	1.5-4	60 hours	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	1 mg
Pinazepam	Domar	?	40-100 hours	anxiolytic	20 mg
Prazepam	Lysanxia, Centrax	2-6	36-200 hours	anxiolytic	10-20 mg
Premazepam	1	2-6	10-13 hours	anxiolytic	3.75 mg
Quazepam	Doral	1-5	39-120 hours	hypnotic	20 mg
Temazepam	Restoril, Normison, Euhypnos, Temaze, Tenox	0.5-3	8-22 hours	hypnotic, anticonvulsant	20 mg
Tetrazepam	Mylostan	1-3	3-26 hours	Skeletal muscle relaxant	100mg
Triazolam	Halcion, Rilamir	0.5-2	2 hours	hypnotic	0.25 mg

Atypical benzodiazepine receptor ligands

Drug Name	Common Brand Names*	Elimination Half-Life (h)† [active metabolite]	Primary Effects	Approximate Equivalent Dose‡
Clobazam	Frisium, Urbanol	8-60 hours	anxiolytic, anticonvulsant	20 mg
DMCM	?	?	anxiogenic, convulsant	Non-applicable
Flumazenil	Anexate, Lanexat, Mazicon, Romazicon	1 hour	antidote	Typical dose 0.2 - 0.6 mgð
Eszopiclone§	Lunesta	6 hours	hypnotic	3 mg
Zaleplon§	Sonata, Starnoc	1 hours	hypnotic	20 mg
Zolpidem§	Ambien, Nytamel, Stilnoct, Stilnox, Zoldem, Zolnod	2.6 hours	hypnotic	20 mg
Zopiclone§	Imovane, Rhovane, Ximovan; Zileze; Zimoclone; Zimovane; Zopitan; Zorclone,	4-6 hours	hypnotic	15 mg

* Not all trade names are listed. Click on drug name to see a more comprehensive list.
^† The duration of apparent action is usually considerably less than the half-life. With most benzodiazepines, noticeable effects usually wear off within a few hours. Nevertheless, as long as the drug is present it will exert subtle effects within the body. These effects may become apparent during continued use or may appear as withdrawal symptoms when dosage is reduced or the drug is stopped.
^‡ Equivalent doses are based on clinical experience but may vary between individuals.[1]
^§ The molecular structure of these drugs differs from the benzodiazepine molecule but they work on benzodiazepine receptors with the same or similar effects and are cross tolerant drugs.
^ð Flumazenil is given to reverse the effects of benzodiazepines and similar drugs, and dosage range listed will vary depending on which drug is being counteracted, what dosage the first drug was given in, and whether the flumazenil is given to actually reverse overdose or just to reduce side effects.

See also

• Benzodiazepine
• Benzodiazepine dependence
• Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome

Further reading

• Gitlow, Stuart (1 October 2006). Substance Use Disorders: A Practical Guide (2nd ed.). USA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. p. 110. ISBN 978-0781769983. 
• Galanter, Marc; Kleber, Herbert D. (1 July 2008). The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment (4th ed.). United States of America: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. p. 216. ISBN 978-1585622764. 

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