The various benzodiazepines and their respective trade-names, half-lives, and primary uses are listed in the following table.
Drug Name | Common Brand Names* | Time to Peak (Onset of action in hours) | Elimination Half-Life (h)** [active metabolite] | Primary Effects | Approximate Equivalent Dose***
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Alprazolam | Xanax, Xanor, Tafil, Alprox, Frontal(Brazil) | 1-2 | 6-12 hours | anxiolytic | 0.5 mg
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Bromazepam | Lexotanil, Lexotan, Lexomil, Somalium, Bromam | 1-3 | 10-20 hours | anxiolytic | 5-6 mg
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Chlordiazepoxide | Librium, Tropium, Risolid, Klopoxid | 1.5-4 | 5-30 hours [36-200 hours] | anxiolytic | 25 mg
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Cinolazepam | Gerodorm | ? | 9 h | sedative | 40 mg
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Clonazepam | Klonopin, Klonapin, Rivotril | 1-4 | 18-50 hours | anxiolytic, anticonvulsant | 0.5 mg
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Cloxazolam | Olcadil (Brazil) | 2-5 (?) | 18-50 hours | anxiolytic, anticonvulsant | 1 mg
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Clorazepate | Tranxene | Variable | [36-100 hours] | anxiolytic, anticonvulsant | 15 mg
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Diazepam | Valium, Apzepam, Stesolid, Vival, Apozepam, Hexalid, Valaxona | 1-2 | 20-100 hours [36-200] | anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant | 10 mg
|
Estazolam | ProSom | .5-5 | 10-24 h | hypnotic | 1-2 mg
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Flunitrazepam | Rohypnol, Fluscand, Flunipam, Ronal, Rohydorm (Brazil) | .5-3 | 18-26 hours [36-200 hours] | hypnotic | 1 mg
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Flurazepam | Dalmadorm, Dalmane | 1-1.5 | [40-250 hours] | hypnotic | 25 mg
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Halazepam | Paxipam | 1-3 | [30-100 hours] | anxiolytic | 20-40 mg
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Ketazolam | Anxon | 2.5-3 | 30-100 hours [36-200] | anxiolytic | 15-30 mg
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Loprazolam | Dormonoct | 2-4 | 6-12 hours | hypnotic | 1-2 mg
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Lorazepam | Ativan, Temesta, Lorabenz | 2-4 | 10-20 hours | anxiolytic,anticonvulsant | 1 mg
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Lormetazepam | Loramet, Noctamid, Pronoctan | .5-2 | 10-12 hours | hypnotic | 1-2 mg
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Medazepam | Nobrium | ? | 36-200 hours | anxiolytic | 10 mg
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Midazolam | Dormicum, Versed, Hypnovel, Dormonid (Brazil) | .5-1 | 3 hours (1.8-6 hours) | hypnotic | 5-15 mg
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Nitrazepam | Mogadon, Alodorm, Pacisyn, Dumolid | .5-7 | 15-38 hours | hypnotic | 10 mg
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Nordazepam | Madar, Stilny | ? | 50-120 hours | anxiolytic | 10 mg
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Oxazepam | Seresta, Serax, Serenid, Serepax, Sobril, Oxascand, Alopam, Oxabenz, Oxapax | 3-4 | 4-15 hours | anxiolytic | 25-30 mg
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Phenazepam | | | |
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Pinazepam | Domar | ? | 40-100 hours | anxiolytic | 5-20 mg
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Prazepam | Centrax | 2-6 | 36-200 hours | anxiolytic | 10-20 mg
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Quazepam | Doral | 1-5 | 39-120 hours | hypnotic | 20 mg
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Temazepam | Restoril, Normison, Euhypnos | .5-3 | 8-22 hours | hypnotic | 20 mg
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Tetrazepam | Mylostan | 1-3 | 3-26 hours | Skeletal muscle relaxant | 50mg
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Triazolam | Halcion, Rilamir | .5-2 | 2 hours | hypnotic | 0.25 mg
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Atypical benzodiazepine receptor ligands
Drug Name | Common Brand Names* | Elimination Half-Life (h)** [active metabolite] | Primary Effects | Approximate Equivalent Dose***
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Clobazam | Frisium, Urbanol | 8-60 hours | anxiolytic, anticonvulsant | N/A, typical dose 5-20 mg
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DMCM | ? | ? | anxiogenic, convulsant | N/A, not used therapeutically
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Flumazenil | Anexate, Lanexat, Mazicon, Romazicon | 1 hour | antidote | N/A, typical dose 0.2 - 0.6 mg
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Additional recommended knowledge
*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]
References
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