Benzodiazepine Drugs

• Diazepam is a benzodiazepine sedative and skeletal muscle relaxant
• - reduces tremors
• - induces amnesia
• - reduces the incidence and recurrence of seizures
• - relaxes muscle spasms in injuries
• - produces amnesia for painful procedures (cardioversion)

• - Major Motor Seizures
• - Status epilepticus
• - Premedication before cardioversion
• - Muscle tremors due to injury
• - Acute Anxiety

• 1. shock
• 2. coma
• 3. acute alcoholism
• 4. depressed vital signs
• 5. obstretic patients
• 6. neonates

• 1. psychoses
• 2. depression
• 3. myasthenia gravis
• 4. COPD

• Seizures: 5-10mg IV/IM
• Acute Anxiety: 2-5mg IV/IM
• Premedication: 5-15mg IV

Flumazenial is a benzodiazepine antagonist used to reverse the sedative, recall, and psychomotor effects of diazepam, midazolam, and other benzos

Respiratory depression secondary to benzodiazepams

• 1. Hypersensitivity to flumazenial or other benzos
• 2. Pts who take flumazenial for status epilepticus or seizures
• 3. Seizure-prone patients during labor & delivery
• 4. Tryicylic anti-depressant overdose

• 1. Hepatic impairment
• 2. Head Injury
• 3. Alcohol & drug dependency
• 4. Physical dependence on benzodiazepines
• 5. Elderly
• 6. Pregnancy & nursing mothers

0.2mg IV over 30sec/min, up to 1mg

• Midazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine with:
• 1. CNS depressant
• 2. muscle relaxant
• 3. Anti-convulsant
• 4. Anterograde amnestic effects

To induce sedation before cardioversion or intubation

• 1. Hypersensitivity to benzos
• 2. Narrow angle glaucoma
• 3. Shock
• 4. Coma
• 5. Acute alcohol intoxication

• 1. COPD
• 2. Renal impairment
• 3. CHF
• 4. elderly

1 - 2.5 mg slow IV; 0.07 - 0.08mg/kg IM