Therapeutic Doses Of Diazepam Research Articles

Therapeutic doses of diazepam do not alter impulsive behavior in humans

This study examined the effects of low, therapeutic doses of diazepam on several measures of impulsive behavior in healthy volunteers. Volunteers ( N=35) participated in a three-session double-blind randomized design in which they received diazepam (5 or 10 mg) or placebo. The volunteers were classified as high and low impulsive based on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11). One hour after ingesting the capsule on each session, participants completed mood questionnaires and five impulsivity tasks: go/no-go task, delay discounting task, time estimation task, stop task, and the balloon analogue risk task (BART). Diazepam (5 and 10 mg) produced its prototypic sedative-like mood effects. However, the drug did not affect performance on any of the measures of impulsive behavior in either the high or low BIS participants. These results suggest that low doses of diazepam, including doses that are used therapeutically, do not increase impulsive behavior. Whether higher doses would increase impulsivity remains to be determined.

Modification of actin in peritoneal macrophages after diazepam treatment.

We have investigated the effect of therapeutic doses of diazepam (7 micrograms/mouse) on the association of actin with the macrophage cytoskeleton using cytochemical and morphological methods. Results obtained indicated that diazepam was able to modulate the content of actin in macrophages; such an effect proved to be time-dependent. After fixation and staining for indirect immunofluorescence with actin antibody, peritoneal macrophages from mice treated for short time with diazepam, showed a fluorescent intensity increase compared to control mice. The fluorescent intensity augmented reaching peak value within 14 days of treatment. Afterwards, this value dropped below control value for mice that underwent longer treatments. In the in vitro experiments concentrations of 10(-5) M, diazepam inhibited a well cell spread and a lower amount of actin after 15 min of incubation was also revealed. These results suggest that administration of diazepam in vivo plays a role in both the nonspecific and specific immune response, producing in the macrophages a reorganization process of microfilaments.

Diazepam treatment does not influence the debrisoquine or mephenytoin hydroxylation phenotyping tests.

Debrisoquine and S-mephenytoin hydroxylation phenotyping tests were performed in 9 patients before and during treatment with diazepam at a daily dose of 10 or 15 mg. There was no change in either the debrisoquine/4-hydroxydebrisoquine ratio or the ratio of S/R mephenytoin in urine. The hydroxylation of these two test drugs is apparently not inhibited by administration of therapeutic doses of diazepam.

Effects of some benzodiazepine derivatives on fibrinolysis and serum lipids in normolipidaemic rats and in humans

The effects of diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, lorazepam and bipotassium chlorazepate on the dilute blood-clot lysis time in normolipidaemic rats and in humans were investigated. Diazepam in small doses induced in acutely treated rats an acceleration of fibrinolysis. At the same time chlordiazepoxide was ineffective, while lorazepam and bipotassium chlorazepate delayed the lysis time. Large doses of diazepam were less effective than small ones, while chlordiazepoxide was more active when larger doses were used. Lorazepam had an inhibitory effect when administered in large doses. In contrast to the lowering effect exhibited by small doses of bipotassium chlorazepate, larger doses were found to produce a slight acceleration of lysis time. In subacutely treated rats, both small and large doses were found to activate fibrinolysis, with the exception of large doses of bipotassium chlorazepate which proved to be inhibitory. Only minor changes in serum lipids (total cholesterol and triglycerides) were observed in normolipidaemic rats treated with the compounds mentioned above. Acceleration of clot lysis but no significant changes in serum lipids or of plasma fibrinogen were noted in 13 healthy human volunteers given therapeutic doses of diazepam.

Treatment of Status Epilepticus

To the Editor.— As an anesthesiologist, I would like to comment on Dr Schneider's letter (235:1964,1976) and Dr Nicol's review (234:419, 1975) concerning the treatment of status epilepticus; mainly, initiating a trial of lidocaine (Xylocaine) hydrochloride intravenously before giving general anesthesia. I was consulted concerning a patient who was still having convulsions despite therapeutic doses of diazepam (Valium), phenobarbital, and phenytoin (Dilantin) sodium. A 30-mg bolus of lidocaine hydrochloride was given intravenously, with complete cessation of convulsions in less than a minute. There were no changes in cardiovascular or respiratory measurements. A lidocaine drip similar to that used for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias was prepared, but it was not needed, as convulsions did not recur. Resuscitative equipment and medication should be available when lidocaine is administered, because convulsions and cardiovascular collapse are possible adverse side effects. Lidocaine has been successfully used in the treatment of status epilepticus, as mentioned by