Quazepam Health Article

Definition

Quazepam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. These drugs ease anxiety and slow the central nervous system. In the United States quazepam is sold under brand name Doral.

Purpose

Quazepam is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of insomnia.

Description

Quazepam is unique in its drug properties in two ways. Several medications from the same class of drugs have an effect called rebound insomnia. This means that the insomnia becomes worse than the original insomnia when the drug is used for extended periods. Quazepam has a minimal tendency to cause rebound insomnia. Secondly, quazepam is eliminated from the body slowly. This gives quazepam advantage over certain other medications in the benzodiazepine class, such as alprazolam or halazepam, in that patients do not experience earlymorning insomnia, since there is still enough medication to induce sleep in the very early morning hours.

Quazepam's sedating effect that reduces insomnia lasts only for about four weeks of continuous use. The medication is most effective for an intermediate-term treatment of insomnia (two weeks), rather than a long duration of treatment of over four weeks. Hence, long-term treatment for insomnia with quazepam should be avoided.

Quazepam comes in 7.5-mg and 15-mg tablets.

Recommended dosage

Effective doses of quazepam for the treatment of insomnia range from 7.5 mg to 30 mg at bedtime. Most patients start by taking 15 mg at bedtime. Adjustments from this dosage can be made as determined by individual. In some patients, a dosage as low as 7.5 mg is sufficient to reduce insomnia.

Elderly patients (over age 65) should receive a reduced dosage of 7.5 mg, because it takes a longer time to eliminate the drug from their bodies. Because quazepam is eliminated by the liver, dosage reduction may be necessary in patients with liver problems.