Triazolam

From DrugPedia: A Wikipedia for Drug discovery

Triazolam (marketed under brand names Halcion, Novodorm, Songar) is a benzodiazepine derivative drug. It possesses pharmacological properties similar to that of other benzodiazepines, but it is generally only used as a sedative to treat insomnia. Insomnia can best be described as a difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakening, early awakenings or a combination of each. Triazolam is a short acting benzodiazepine and is sometimes used in patients who have difficulty in falling asleep. Short half life hypnotics such as triazolam are not effective in patients who suffer from frequent awakenings or early wakening due to their very short half life. Hypnotics should only be used on a short term basis or in those with chronic insomnia on an occasional basis.

Indications

Triazolam is usually used for short term treatment of acute insomnia including jet lag. It is an ideal benzodiazepine for this use, because its fast onset of action and short half-life (approximately 2 hours) allows its user to avoid morning drowsiness. Triazolam is also sometimes used as an adjuvant in medical procedures requiring anesthesia or to reduce anxiety during brief events like MRI scans.

[edit] Dosage

Dosages for triazolam are significantly lower than other benzodiazepines, and should be individualized depending on the needs of the patient. For insomnia, 0.125mg to 0.25mg are given at bedtime. Up to 0.5mg may be needed for resistant individuals. Dosages exceeding 0.5mg are generally considered to be unsafe.

[edit] Side effects

Triazolam causes transient anterograde amnesia (failure to remember new things, especially during the time the medication is in the user's system) at overdoses higher than 1-3mg. Triazolam although a short acting benzodiazepine may still cause residual impairment into the next day, especially the next morning. A meta-analysis demonstrated that residual 'hangover' effects after nighttime administration of triazolam such as sleepiness, impaired psychomotor and cognitive functions may persist into the next day which may impair the ability of users to drive safely and increase risks of falls and hip fractures.