Tetrazepam is used to treat anxiety disorders
and panic attacks. Tetrazepam is in a class of
medications called benzodiazepines. It works by decreasing abnormal
excitement in the brain. Some benzodiazepines are used to relieve anxiety.
However, benzodiazepines should not be used to relieve nervousness or
tension caused by the stress of everyday life.
Tetrazepam belong to the group of medicines
called central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that slow down
the nervous system). Tetrazepam also is used
sometimes to treat depression, fear of open spaces (agoraphobia), and
premenstrual syndrome. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of
using this medication for your condition. Many of the benzodiazepines are
used in the treatment of other conditions, also. Diazepam is used to help
relax muscles or relieve muscle spasm. Diazepam injection is used before
some medical procedures to relieve anxiety and to reduce memory of the
procedure. Chlordiazepoxide, clorazepate, diazepam, and oxazepam are used
to treat the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Alprazolam and clonazepam are
used in the treatment of panic disorder. The benzodiazepines may also be
used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Tetrazepam may be habit-forming (causing
mental or physical dependence), especially when taken for a long time or
in high doses.
Special precautions
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be
weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your
doctor will make. For Tetrazepam , the following
should be considered:
Allergies� tell your doctor if you have ever
had any unusual or allergic reaction to benzodiazepines. Also tell your
health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such
as foods, preservatives, or dyes. Certain Tetrazepam products
may contain lactose, parabens, or soybean oil.
Pregnancy� too much use of a Tetrazepam
during pregnancy may cause the baby to become dependent on
the medicine. This may lead to withdrawal side effects after birth. Also,
use of Tetrazepam during pregnancy, especially
during the last weeks, may cause body temperature problems, breathing
problems, difficulty in feeding, drowsiness, or muscle weakness in the
newborn infant.
Tetrazepam given just before or during labor
may cause weakness in the newborn infant. When diazepam is given in high
doses (especially by injection) within 15 hours before delivery, it may
cause breathing problems, muscle weakness, difficulty in feeding, and body
temperature problems in the newborn infant.
Breast-feeding� Tetrazepam may pass
into the breast milk and cause drowsiness, difficulty in feeding, and
weight loss in nursing babies of mothers taking these medicines.
Children� Most of the side effects of these
medicines are more likely to occur in children, especially the very young.
These patients are usually more sensitive than adults to the effects of Tetrazepam
.
Older adults� Most of the side effects of these
medicines are more likely to occur in the elderly, who are usually more
sensitive to the effects of Tetrazepam .
Taking Tetrazepam for trouble in sleeping may
cause more daytime drowsiness in elderly patients than in younger adults.
In addition, falls and related injuries are more likely to occur in
elderly patients taking Tetrazepam .
Other medicines� although certain medicines
should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines
may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases,
your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be
necessary. When you are taking or receiving benzodiazepines it is
especially important that your health care professional know if you are
taking any of the following:
• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that
cause drowsiness)�The CNS depressant effects of either these
medicines or Tetrazepam may be increased; your
doctor may want to change the dose of either or both medicines
• Fluvoxamine (e.g., Luvox) or
• Nefazodone (e.g., Serzone)�Higher blood levels of Tetrazepam
may occur, increasing the chance that side effects will
occur; your doctor may want to change the dose of either or both
medicines, or give you a different medicine
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral)�these medicines should
NOT be used if you are taking a Tetrazepam .
Other medical problems� the presence of other
medical problems may affect the use of Tetrazepam .
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems,
especially:
• Alcohol abuse (or history of) or
• Drug abuse or dependence (or history of)�Dependence on
Tetrazepam may be more likely to develop
• Brain disease�CNS depression and other side effects of
Tetrazepam may be more likely to occur
• Difficulty in swallowing (in children) or
• Emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, or other chronic lung disease
or
• Hyperactivity or
• Mental depression or
• Mental illness (severe) or
• Myasthenia gravis or
• Porphyria or
• Sleep apnea (temporary stopping of breathing during
sleep)� Tetrazepam may make these
conditions worse
• Epilepsy or history of seizures�Although some Tetrazepam
are used in treating epilepsy, starting or suddenly stopping
treatment with these medicines may increase seizures
• Glaucoma, acute narrow angle� Tetrazepam should
NOT be used if you have this condition.
• Glaucoma, open angle� Tetrazepam can
be used but your doctor should be monitoring your condition carefully.
• Kidney or liver disease�Higher blood levels of Tetrazepam
may result, increasing the chance that side effects will
occur
Side effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted
effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do
occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side
effects occur:
• Less common
- Anxiety; confusion (may be more common in the elderly);
fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat ; lack of memory of
events taking place after benzodiazepine is taken (may be more
common with triazolam); mental depression
• Rare
- Abnormal thinking, including disorientation, delusions (holding
false beliefs that cannot be changed by facts), or loss of sense of
reality ; agitation; behavior changes, including
aggressive behavior, bizarre behavior, decreased inhibition, or
outbursts of anger; convulsions (seizures);
hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not
there); hypotension (low blood pressure); muscle
weakness; skin rash or itching ; sore throat, fever, and
chills; trouble in sleeping; ulcers or sores in mouth or
throat (continuing); uncontrolled movements of body, including
the eyes; unusual bleeding or bruising ; unusual
excitement, nervousness, or irritability ; unusual tiredness
or weakness (severe); yellow eyes or skin
• Symptoms of overdose
- Confusion (continuing); convulsions (seizures);
drowsiness (severe) or coma; shakiness; slow heartbeat;
slow reflexes; slurred speech (continuing) ; staggering;
troubled breathing ; weakness (severe)
For patients having chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, or lorazepam
injected :
• Check with your doctor if there is redness, swelling, or pain
at the place of injection.
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical
attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body
adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the
following side effects continue or are bothersome:
• More common
- Clumsiness or unsteadiness; dizziness or lightheadedness;
drowsiness; slurred speech
• Less common or rare
- Abdominal or stomach cramps or pain; blurred vision or other
changes in vision; changes in sexual desire or ability;
constipation; diarrhea; dryness of mouth or increased
thirst; false sense of well-being; headache;
increased bronchial secretions or watering of mouth; muscle
spasm; nausea or vomiting; problems with urination;
trembling or shaking; unusual tiredness or weakness
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If
you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
Other than the above information, there is no additional information
relating to proper use, precautions, or side effects for these uses.
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any
questions you have about refilling your prescription.
Tetrazepam, (Clinoxan, Myolastan, Musaril) is a benzodiazepine derivative with anxiolytic and muscle relaxant properties. It is used mainly in Austria, France, and Germany to treat anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, or more rarely to treat depression, premenstrual syndrome or agoraphobia. Tetrazepam has relatively little sedative effect at low doses while still producing useful muscle relaxation and anxiety relief. The indicated dose for muscle spasm is 50 mg.
Tetrazepam is a 1,4-benzodiazepine (BZD) derivative which, in rodents,
appears to have very little sedative and ataxic effects. In an attempt to
identify the molecular mechanisms underlying this particular
pharmacological profile we examined the interaction of tetrazepam with BZD
binding sites. Tetrazepam interacted competitively with
"central" and "peripheral" BZD binding sites and
exhibited comparable affinities for both sites. Tetrazepam was
approximately one-seventh as potent as diazepam at the central receptor
and as potent as diazepam at the peripheral binding site. Tetrazepam did
not distinguish type I from type II central BZD receptors, as evidenced by
comparable affinities for the cerebellar and hippocampal receptors. In
vitro autoradiographic studies showed that tetrazepam displaced
[3H]flunitrazepam from rat brain membranes without any clear regional
specificity. Like all BZD receptor agonists, tetrazepam exhibited a gamma-aminobutyric
acid shift, a photoaffinity shift and potentiated the binding of
35S-t-butyl-bicyclophosphorothionate to rat brain membranes. However, the
latter effect was observed at relatively high concentrations of tetrazepam.
In vivo, tetrazepam displaced specifically bound [3H]flunitrazepam from
mouse brain (ID50, 37 mg/kg p.o. vs 3.5 mg/kg p.o. for diazepam) and from
mouse kidney (ID50, 38 mg/kg p.o. vs. 21 mg/kg p.o. for diazepam). It is
concluded that tetrazepam is a BZD receptor agonist; the molecular
mechanisms which underly the low sedative potential of the drug cannot at
present be explained by a particular interaction with either central or
peripheral BZD binding sites, but may be related to the drug's relatively
weak effect on 35S-t-butyl-bicyclophosphorothionate binding.
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