Oxazepam (Oxazepam) - Summary

OXAZEPAM SUMMARY

Oxazepam is the first of a chemical series of compounds, the 3-hydroxybenzodiazepinones. A therapeutic agent providing versatility and flexibility in control of common emotional disturbances, this product exerts prompt action in a wide variety of disorders associated with anxiety, tension, agitation, and irritability, and anxiety associated with depression. In tolerance and toxicity studies on several animal species, this product reveals significantly greater safety factors than related compounds (chlordiazepoxide and diazepam) and manifests a wide separation of effective doses and doses inducing side effects.

Oxazepam is indicated for the management of anxiety disorders or for the short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic.

Anxiety associated with depression is also responsive to oxazepam therapy.

This product has been found particularly useful in the management of anxiety, tension, agitation, and irritability in older patients.

Alcoholics with acute tremulousness, inebriation, or with anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal are responsive to therapy.

The effectiveness of oxazepam in long-term use, that is, more than 4 months, has not been assessed by systematic clinical studies. The physician should reassess periodically the usefulness of the drug for the individual patient.

See all Oxazepam indications & dosage >>

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Media Articles Related to Oxazepam

Kava Successfully Treats Anxiety In World First Clinical Trial
Source: Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today [2013.05.15]
A world-first completed clinical study by an Australian team has found Kava, a medicinal South Pacific plant, significantly reduced the symptoms of people suffering anxiety...

Emotional Strategies Can Influence Anxiety
Source: Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today [2013.05.14]
When trouble approaches, what do you do? Run for the hills? Hide? Pretend it isn't there? Or do you focus on the promise of rain in those looming dark clouds? New research suggests that the way you regulate your emotions, in bad times and in good, can influence whether - or how much - you suffer from anxiety. The study appears in the journal Emotion...

Anxiety And Stress Benefits From Exercise, Even When Forced
Source: Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today [2013.04.29]
Being forced to exercise may still help reduce anxiety and depression just as exercising voluntarily does, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. Past studies have shown that people who exercise are more protected against stress-related disorders. And scientists know that the perception of control can benefit a person's mental health...

Reducing Pain And Anxiety Among Pediatric Patients Using Robot Therapy
Source: IT / Internet / E-mail News From Medical News Today [2013.04.07]
Pet therapy can help patients cope with the pain, stress, and emotional effects of a serious illness, but access to a companion animal is not always possible. Robotic animals may offer the same benefits, as explored in a fascinating study presented in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers...

Acupuncture Improves Memory, Test Performance, And Reduces Anxiety
Source: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine News From Medical News Today [2013.03.09]
A new study shows that acupuncture improves memory, test performance, and reduces anxiety. The study will appear in an upcoming edition of The Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies. Dr. Jason Bussell, PhD, conducted an experiment with 90 undergraduate students. Half the students received acupuncture and half did not; and the placebo effect was controlled...

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Published Studies Related to Oxazepam

Effects of oxazepam on affective perception, recognition, and event-related potentials. [2011.05]
BACKGROUND: Little is known about how rapid electrocortical responses (event-related potentials; ERPs) to affective pictures are modulated by benzodiazepine agonists. The present study investigated effects of oxazepam (20 mg p.o.) on behavioral measures and ERPs associated with affective picture processing during perception and recognition memory retrieval... CONCLUSIONS: Oxazepam does not selectively influence electrocortical or perceptual indexes of emotional perception or emotional memory. Rather, it blocks memory consolidation independent of valence category. These findings indicate that ERPs can be of use in assessing effects of benzodiazepines on memory-related processes.

Oxazepam does not modulate the behavioral effects of d-amphetamine in humans. [2005.10]
Benzodiazepines, which are gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA(A)) receptor positive modulators, can block the behavioral effects of psychomotor stimulants. In the present study, the ability of oxazepam, which may have less abuse potential compared to some other benzodiazepines, to attenuate the discriminative-stimulus, subject-rated and psychomotor performance effects of d-amphetamine in humans was determined...

Effects of additional oxazepam in long-term users of oxazepam. [2005.02]
Although additional dosages of benzodiazepines in long-term users of benzodiazepines are common, it is unknown whether these additional dosages resort any effect. The effects of an additional 20-mg dosage oxazepam were assessed in a double-blind, balanced-order, crossover randomized study comparing 16 long-term users of oxazepam (patients) with 18 benzodiazepine-naive controls (controls)...

Efficacy and tolerability of valerian extract LI 156 compared with oxazepam in the treatment of non-organic insomnia--a randomized, double-blind, comparative clinical study. [2002.11.25]
Patients aged 18 to 73 years and diagnosed with non-organic insomnia according to ICD-10 (F 51.0) were treated in a multicentre, double-blind, randomised parallel group comparison with either 600 mg/die valerian extract LI 156 (Sedonium) or 10 mg/die oxazepam taken for 6 weeks... During the 6 week treatment phase Valerian extract LI 156 (Sedonium) 600 mg/die showed a comparable efficacy to 10 mg/die oxazepam in the therapy of non-organic insomnia.

Effects of lorazepam and oxazepam on perceptual and procedural memory functions. [2002.11]
RATIONALE: Lorazepam has been found to consistently impair performance on both episodic and perceptual priming tasks, whereas other benzodiazepines have shown perceptual priming to be preserved. However, it has recently been postulated that benzodiazepines may exert time-dependent effects on implicit memory processes after research findings indicated some benzodiazepines, other than lorazepam, impair performance on priming tasks when tested at the time of peak plasma concentration level after benzodiazepine administration. OBJECTIVES: To compare time-dependent effects of lorazepam and oxazepam on implicit memory tasks, specifically perceptual priming and procedural learning... CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with previous research showing a differential effect of lorazepam in impairing perceptual memory but the notion that benzodiazepines exert time-dependent effects on implicit memory processes was not supported.

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Clinical Trials Related to Oxazepam

The Pharmacokinetics of Zidovudine and Oxazepam Alone and in Combination in the HIV-Infected Patient [Completed]
To determine if a pharmacokinetic (blood level) interaction exists between zidovudine (AZT) and oxazepam in the HIV-infected patient. Benzodiazepines (such as oxazepam) are among the most frequently prescribed class of drugs and are commonly used therapeutically for patients with chronic disease. This study is important because of the potential for toxicity resulting from a reaction between AZT and benzodiazepines and the likelihood of frequent use of the combination of these drugs in patients with HIV infection.

A Placebo-Controlled Study of a Combination of Metyrapone and Oxazepam in Cocaine Addiction [Recruiting]
Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive either one of the two potential dose combinations of the study medications or placebo over 6 weeks. The study will include twice weekly visits to the research clinic for laboratory studies, safety assessments and urine drug screens. Subjects will also be questioned regarding drug craving and mood symptoms.

Discontinuation of Antipsychotics and Antidepressants Among Patients With BPSD [Completed]

Dementia Antipsychotics And Antidepressants Discontinuation Study [Recruiting]

Acamprosate Initiated During Alcohol Detoxification [Active, not recruiting]
Acamprosate is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of alcoholism. The purpose of this study is to see if initiating acamprosate early in alcohol detoxification instead of waiting until detoxification has been completed effects the course of detoxification, adverse events during detoxification, drop out rate during the rehabilitative treatment phase, or overall efficacy of acamprosate for those with alcohol dependence who plan to receive at least two months of rehabilitative pharmacotherapy with acamprosate.

more trials >>

Reports of Suspected Oxazepam Side Effects

Toxicity TO Various Agents (48),  Drug Interaction (23),  Confusional State (19),  Suicide Attempt (13),  Disorientation (11),  Overdose (11),  Delirium (11),  Agitation (10),  Fall (10),  Medication Error (10), more >>

PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTS

Oxazepam review by 46 year old female patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Highly Effective
Side effects:		Mild Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		Anxiety due to Relationship Stress
Dosage & duration:		10mg twice per day taken only as needed for stress for the period of 6 months irregularly; as needed
Other conditions:		None
Other drugs taken:		None
		Reported Results
Benefits:		I would get heart palpitations and major stress hours before my ex would come and pick up our daughter for visits; I also had difficulty sleeping if I had to deal with any issues with him; I would take one of these pills, only if I felt I needed and sometimes an hour before he would pick her up, and I would feel much calmer. It was a life saver for me until I got through the emotional upset and was able to detach.
Side effects:		Virtually no side effects, other than very slight drowsiness several hours after taking it...almost not noticeable.
Comments:		I was on a very small dose. And I only took this when I felt I needed it. It was a life saver and kept my body from experiencing intense stress like shaking, heart palpitations, and emotional upset. It did not change my mood. It only controlled the negative physical effect that I was allowing this person to have on me.

Oxazepam review by care giver of 85 year old male patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Ineffective
Side effects:		Extremely Severe Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		temporary anxiety
Dosage & duration:		30mg taken daily for the period of 5 years
Other conditions:		none
Other drugs taken:		none
		Reported Results
Benefits:		My father was put on this drug to fend off temporary, situational anxiety when his wife developed alzheimer's and was not looking after the finances properly. It helped him to sleep better. In the meantime, our family helped them sort out the financial mess his wife had created in her confusion. His anxiety ended but the doctor forgot to take him off the drug at the end of the 4 month period of effectiveness.
Side effects:		After 5 years of taking this drug, my father has developed short term memory loss which has developed to the point he now has an alzheimer's diagnosis for himself. He has no other symptoms of AD, just short term memory loss after 5 years on a drug that is only proven 'effective' for 4 months.
Comments:		Due to a recent mix up at the pharmacy, my father was accidentally withdrawn from the drug and suffered a terrible withdrawal. After 10 days without oxazepam, his memory improved but the doctor put him right back on it. I have since tried to get the doc to take him off. His answer? What's the point at his age. Why not just let him drift away in a foggy twilight. I love my dad and think he deserves better so I'm fighting this situation, but meanwhile my father wakes up each day wondering why he is on an advanced alzheimer's ward when he has no symptoms beyond drug induced short term memory loss.

Oxazepam review by care giver of 85 year old male patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Ineffective
Side effects:		Extremely Severe Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		temporary anxiety
Dosage & duration:		30mg taken daily for the period of 5 years
Other conditions:		none
Other drugs taken:		none
		Reported Results
Benefits:		My father was put on this drug to fend off temporary, situational anxiety when his wife developed alzheimer's and was not looking after the finances properly. It helped him to sleep better. In the meantime, our family helped them sort out the financial mess his wife had created in her confusion. His anxiety ended but the doctor forgot to take him off the drug at the end of the 4 month period of effectiveness.
Side effects:		After 5 years of taking this drug, my father has developed short term memory loss which has developed to the point he now has an alzheimer's diagnosis for himself. He has no other symptoms of AD, just short term memory loss after 5 years on a drug that is only proven 'effective' for 4 months.
Comments:		Due to a recent mix up at the pharmacy, my father was accidentally withdrawn from the drug and suffered a terrible withdrawal. After 10 days without oxazepam, his memory improved but the doctor put him right back on it. I have since tried to get the doc to take him off. His answer? What's the point at his age. Why not just let him drift away in a foggy twilight. I love my dad and think he deserves better so I'm fighting this situation, but meanwhile my father wakes up each day wondering why he is on an advanced alzheimer's ward when he has no symptoms beyond drug induced short term memory loss.