HALCION SUMMARY
Halcion®
triazolam tablets, USP CIV
HALCION Tablets contain triazolam, a triazolobenzodiazepine hypnotic agent. Triazolam is a white crystalline powder, soluble in alcohol and poorly soluble in water.
HALCION is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7–10 days). Use for more than 2–3 weeks requires complete reevaluation of the patient (see WARNINGS).
Prescriptions for HALCION should be written for short-term use (7–10 days) and it should not be prescribed in quantities exceeding a 1-month supply.
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NEWS HIGHLIGHTSMedia Articles Related to Halcion (Triazolam)
Relationship Between Sleep Duration And Suicidal Thoughts In People With Insomnia.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today [2013.05.17]
Results of a new study show that every one-hour increase in sleep duration was associated with a 72 percent decrease in the likelihood of moderate or high suicide risk, in comparison with low risk. Data were adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education and age of onset of sleep difficulties. "We were surprised by the strength of the association between sleep duration and suicide risk," said primary author Linden Oliver, MA, clinical research coordinator for the University of Pennsylvania Behavioral Sleep Medicine Research Program in Philadelphia, Pa...
Insomnia Can Lead To Future Hospitalization And Increased Health Service Use
Source: Seniors / Aging News From Medical News Today [2013.05.14]
Having trouble falling or staying asleep? According to a new study led by a team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, insomnia may be an important indicator of future hospitalization among middle-aged and older adults...
A Woman's Risk Of Heart Disease May Be Increased By Insomnia And Disrupted Sleep During Menopause
Source: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today [2013.05.13]
Insomnia and other sleep disturbances are common among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and may increase their risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD)...
Making Sense Of The Neurobiology Of Restless Legs Syndrome And Related Insomnia
Source: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today [2013.05.09]
Johns Hopkins researchers believe they may have discovered an explanation for the sleepless nights associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS), a symptom that persists even when the disruptive, overwhelming nocturnal urge to move the legs is treated successfully with medication...
Insomnia May Raise Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke
Source: MedicineNet Hyperthyroidism Specialty [2012.11.05]
Title: Insomnia May Raise Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke
Category: Health News
Created: 11/4/2012 8:35:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/5/2012 12:00:00 AM
Published Studies Related to Halcion (Triazolam)
Physiological doses of progesterone potentiate the effects of triazolam in healthy, premenopausal women. [2011.06]
RATIONALE: Gender plays a critical role in the effects of drugs and drug abuse liability. Biological factors, including ovarian hormones, may contribute to gender differences in drug abuse. Preclinical and some clinical research suggests that progesterone and its metabolites have activity at the GABA(A) receptor and may enhance the effect of GABAergic compounds (e.g., benzodiazepines). Because women are exposed to varying levels of progesterone from puberty until menopause, and appear more sensitive to the negative consequences of benzodiazepine use, it is important to understand the impact of progesterone on GABAergic drug effects. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this experiment was to characterize the behavioral effects of progesterone, alone and in combination with the short-acting benzodiazepine, triazolam, to determine if progesterone potentiates the behavioral effects of triazolam... CONCLUSIONS: Progesterone potentiates the behavioral effects of benzodiazepines and may contribute to benzodiazepine use and abuse among women.
Dose effects of triazolam and scopolamine on metamemory. [2010.02]
The present study compared the acute dose effects of the benzodiazepine triazolam and the anticholinergic scopolamine on metamemory (knowledge and awareness of one's own memory) in a two-phase paradigm designed to assess effects on both monitoring and control components of metamemory in both semantic (general knowledge) and episodic memory (cued-recall) tasks...
Flumazenil reversal of sublingual triazolam: a randomized controlled clinical trial. [2009.05]
BACKGROUND: Incremental sublingual (SL) dosing of triazolam has emerged as a popular sedation technique. Nevertheless, few studies have evaluated the technique's safety or efficacy. Given its popularity, an easily administered rescue strategy is needed... CONCLUSIONS: Deep sedation from incremental SL dosing of triazolam is incompletely reversed by a single intraoral injection of flumazenil. The reversal did not persist. The authors discharged the patients from the dental clinic at 360 minutes. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A single intraoral injection of flumazenil (0.2 mg) cannot immediately reverse oversedation with triazolam. A higher dose might be effective. Reversal for the purpose of discharging the patient early is neither appropriate nor safe.
Modulation of the discriminative stimulus effects of triazolam across the menstrual cycle phase in healthy pre-menopausal women. [2008.04.01]
Pre-clinical studies indicate that changes in progesterone levels across menstrual cycle phases modulate the behavioral effects of sedative drugs acting at GABA(A) receptor sites. In this study, seven healthy women learned to discriminate triazolam (0.25 mg/70 kg) from placebo... These results suggest that the discriminative stimulus effects of the positive GABA(A) modulator, triazolam, are sensitive to menstrual cycle phase in healthy adult women.
Relative abuse liability of GHB in humans: A comparison of psychomotor, subjective, and cognitive effects of supratherapeutic doses of triazolam, pentobarbital, and GHB. [2006.11]
Although preclinical studies suggest that GHB has low likelihood for abuse, case reports indicate that GHB is abused. This study evaluated the relative abuse liability of GHB in 14 volunteers with histories of drug abuse... Although the likelihood for GHB to be abused is intermediate to triazolam and pentobarbital, the possibility of accidental overdose (ie greater sedation than intended) with GHB appears to be greater.
Clinical Trials Related to Halcion (Triazolam)
A Study of the Acute Behavioral and Subjective Effects of TAK-375 [Completed]
This study focused on the drug abuse potential of TAK-375 16 mg, TAK-375 80 mg and TAK-375
160 mg compared to triazolam 0. 25 mg, triazolam 0. 50 mg, triazolam 0. 75 mg, alprazolam and a
placebo, each taken once over an eight day period in subjects with a history of polydrug
abuse.
A Study to Assess the Pharmacokinetics of Intranasally Administered Esketamine in Healthy Adults and Healthy Elderly Participants [Not yet recruiting]
The primary purpose of the study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (what the body does to
the medication) of intranasally (through the nose) administered esketamine in healthy adult
and elderly participants.
Physiological, Behavioral and Subjective Effects of Drugs (GHB) [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to learn more about the effects of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid
(GHB) by comparing its physiological, behavioral and subjective effects with those of several
other drugs.
Flumazenil Reversal of Oral Triazolam [Completed]
An increase in the utilization of anesthesia and sedation medications by
non-anesthesiologists, including dentists, has grown dramatically. This has been prompted,
in part, by the need for pharmacological tools to address high levels of fear and anxiety
about dental care among the US population and the evidence of oral health disparities among
those who are fearful . Given the prevalence of dental fear in the general population and in
the various populations with the greatest burden of oral diseases, effective sedation
techniques are needed that are safe and effective in the hands of general dentists that make
up the "front line" in the efforts to reduce oral health disparities. This study is to
determine whether, when compared to a saline placebo, a single intraoral submucosal
administration of the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil (0. 2 mg) is capable of attenuating
in 10 minutes or less the central nervous system (CNS) depression produced by a paradigm of
stacked sublingual dosing of triazolam (3 doses of 0. 25 mg over 90 minutes).
Effectiveness of GABA Agonists in Reducing the Reinforcing Effects of Cocaine [Completed]
Cocaine abuse continues to represent a significant public-health concern. Cocaine likely
creates its addictive effects by increasing levels of dopamine, a chemical found in the
brain. GABA agonists are chemicals that have the opposite effect of cocaine by inhibiting the
release of dopamine. The purpose of this study is to determine whether GABA agonists reduce
the psychological and physiological reinforcing effects of cocaine.
Reports of Suspected Halcion (Triazolam) Side Effects
Suicide Attempt (8),
Pyrexia (7),
Overdose (7),
Loss of Consciousness (6),
Death (6),
Toxicity TO Various Agents (6),
Blood Creatine Phosphokinase Increased (5),
Multiple Drug Overdose Intentional (5),
Drug Ineffective (4),
Intentional Overdose (4), more >>
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PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTSBased on a total of 1 ratings/reviews, Halcion has an overall score of 3. The effectiveness score is 2 and the side effect score is 10. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst.
| | Halcion review by 45 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | |   |
| Effectiveness: | | Ineffective |
| Side effects: | | No Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | insomnia |
| Dosage & duration: | | 5mg taken nightly for the period of 7 days |
| Other conditions: | | weight loss |
| Other drugs taken: | | none | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Benefits were to treat insomnia. |
| Side effects: | | None as long as directions were followed. |
| Comments: | | Patient had severe insomnia. 45 years old, 5'7", 90 lbs. Was given 5 mg Halcion nightly to sleep and it had little effect. Patient was able to sleep 1-2 hours. She doubled dose and it still did not able her to sleep any longer. |
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Page last updated: 2013-05-17
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