Triazolam

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(Redirected from Halcion)

[[Image:{{{image\|Triazolam.png}}}\|{{{width\|220}}}px\|Triazolam chemical structure]] Triazolam
8-chloro-6-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-4H- [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine IUPAC name
CAS number 28911-01-5	}}}
PubChem 5556	DrugBank APRD00313
Chemical formula	{{Carbon
Molecular weight	{{{molecular_weight}}}
Bioavailability	{{{bioavailability}}}
Metabolism	{{{metabolism}}}
Elimination half-life	{{{elimination_half-life}}}
Excretion	{{{excretion}}}
Pregnancy category	{{{pregnancy_category}}}
Legal status	{{{legal_status}}}
Routes of administration	{{{routes_of_administration}}}

₁₇H{{#if:{{{1|}}}|_{{{1}}}}}₁₂Cl{{#if:{{{1|}}}|_{{{1}}}|}}₂N{{#if:{{{1|}}}|_{{{1}}}|}}₄ | molecular_weight = 343.2 | bioavailability = ? | metabolism = Hepatic | elimination_half-life = 1.5-5.5 hours | excretion = Renal | pregnancy_category = X (US) | legal_status = Schedule IV(US) | routes_of_administration = Oral }}

Triazolam (marketed under brand names Halcion®, Novodorm®, Songar®) is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. It possesses pharmacological properties similar to other benzodiazepines, but it is generally only used as a sedative.<ref name="DrugBank">{{cite web | author= Wishart, David | year= 2006 | url= http://redpoll.pharmacy.ualberta.ca/drugbank/cgi-bin/getCard.cgi?CARD=APRD00313.txt | title= Triazolam | work= DrugBank | publisher= | accessdate= 2006-03-23 }}</ref>

1 History
2 Pharmacology
3 Indications
4 Dosage
5 Side effects
6 Interactions
7 Contraindications
- 7.1 Pregnancy
8 Overdose
9 Legal status
10 External links
11 Footnotes

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History

Triazolam was temporarily withdrawn from the market in several countries because of concerns about serious side effects (mostly psychological) associated with high dosages of the drug. Its use at lower doses has been deemed safe by the FDA and most other countries.<ref name="DrugBank" />

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Pharmacology

The pharmacological effects of triazolam are similar to those of most other benzodiazepines. Triazolam does not generate active metabolites.<ref name="DrugBank" />

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Indications

Triazolam is usually used for short term treatment of acute insomnia including jet lag. It is an ideal benzodiazepine for this use, due to the fact that its fast onset of action and short half-life (approximately 3 hours) allows its user to avoid morning drowsiness. Triazolam is also sometimes used as an adjuvant in medical procedures requiring anesthesia.<ref name="DrugBank" />

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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. Dosage should never exceed 0.5mg.Template:Fact

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Side effects

Triazolam causes transient anterograde amnesia at dosages higher than 1-3mg

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Interactions

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Contraindications

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Pregnancy

Halcion belongs to the Pregnancy Category X of the FDA. This means that it is known to cause birth defects. On October 2, 1991, the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) banned sales of Triazolam in the UK after concluding that it had a higher frequency of psychiatric side-effects than other hypnotics. Template:Sect-stub

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Overdose

Symptoms of overdose<ref name="DrugBank" /> include:

Somnolence (drowsiness)
Impaired motor function
Slurred speech
Coma
Hypoventilation (respiratory depression)

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Legal status

Internationally, triazolam is a Schedule IV drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.<ref name="Legal">{{cite web | author= | year= YEAR | url= http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/list/green.pdf | title= List of psychotropic substances under international control | work= Green list | publisher= International Narcotics Control Board | accessdate= 2006-03-23 }}</ref>

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