Indications/Uses
Insomnia.
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Dosage/Direction for Use
Adult: PO 5 mg at bedtime; increase to 10 mg if needed.
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Administration
May be taken with or without food.
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Contraindications
Myasthenia gravis, narrow-angle glaucoma, severe respiratory insufficiency, sleep apnoea syndrome, severe hepatic impairment, porphyria.
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Special Precautions
May induce anterograde amnesia; caution patients to have uninterrupted sleep of 7-8 hr after ingestion of dose. May impair ability to drive or operate machinery. Depression, especially if suicidal risk may be present. History of drug abuse or acute alcoholism. Hepatic and renal impairment. Respiratory disease. Debilitated patients. Patients who are at risk of falls. Children, elderly. Pregnancy and lactation.
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Adverse Reactions
Hypotension, palpitation; agitation, aggressiveness, amnesia, ataxia, confusion, delusions, disorientation, dizziness, fatigue, hallucination, hangover, headache, irritability, nightmares, psychoses, rage, restlessness, sedation; rash; changes in libido; constipation, diarrhoea, excessive salivation, heartburn, nausea, vomiting; granulocytopenia, leukopenia; falling, muscle weakness; blurred or double vision; tinnitus (associated with withdrawal); aspiration, increased bronchial secretion, dyspnoea.
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Drug Interactions
CNS depressant effect increased with alcohol, barbiturates, TCAs, phenothiazines, morphine derivatives. Effects may be antagonised by theophylline. Increased levels/effects with probenecid. Reduced levels/effects with rifampicin. May reduce effects of levodopa.
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CIMS Class
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ATC Classification
N05CD02 - nitrazepam ; Belongs to the class of benzodiazepine derivatives. Used as hypnotics and sedatives.
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