Quazepam

Quazepam is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of insomnia.

• Quazepam is available under the following different brand names: Doral

Common side effects of Quazepam include:

• daytime drowsiness,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• tiredness,
• upset stomach, and
• dry mouth

Serious side effects of Quazepam include:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• snoring,
• confusion,
• agitation,
• hallucinations,
• unusual thoughts or behavior,
• suicidal thoughts,
• driving, eating, making phone calls or having sex and later having no memory of the activity, and
• worsening depression

Rare side effects of Quazepam include:

• none

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors;
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out. 

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult dosage

Tablet: Schedule IV

• 7.5 mg
• 15 mg

Insomnia

Adult dosage

• Initial: 15 mg orally during bedtime
• Maintenance: 7.5-15 mg orally during bedtime
• May reduce the dose after 1-2 nights

Geriatric dosage

• Use a lower dose of 7.5 mg initially

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Quazepam has severe interactions with the following drugs:
• calcium/magnesium/potassium/sodium oxybates
  • sodium oxybate
• Quazepam has serious interactions with at least 29 other drugs.
• Quazepam has moderate interactions with at least 215 other drugs.
• Quazepam has minor interactions with at least 17 other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Documented hypersensitivity
• Acute alcohol intoxication
• Myasthenia gravis (allowable in limited circumstances)
• Narrow-angle glaucoma (questionable)
• Severe respiratory depression
• Depressed neuroses, psychotic reactions
• IV use in shock, coma, depressed respiration, patients who recently received other respiratory depressants

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Quazepam?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Quazepam?”

Cautions

• Use caution in COPD, sleep apnea, renal/hepatic disease, impaired gag reflex, respiratory disease, open-angle glaucoma (questionable), depression, suicide ideation
• Anterograde amnesia reported with benzodiazepine use
• May impair the ability to perform hazardous tasks
• Patients particularly the elderly, are at higher risk of falls; therapy can cause drowsiness and decrease the level of consciousness
• Paradoxical reactions, including hyperactive or aggressive behavior, reported
• Sleep-related activities, including sleep-driving, cooking and eating, and making phone calls while asleep may occur; discontinue therapy in these patients
• Use caution in patients with a history of drug abuse or acute alcoholism; tolerance, psychological and physical dependence may occur with prolonged use
• Observational studies have demonstrated that concomitant use of opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines increases the risk of drug-related mortality compared to the use of opioids alone
• If a decision is made to prescribe a benzodiazepine concomitantly with opioids, prescribe the lowest effective dosages and minimum durations of concomitant use, and follow patients closely for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation; in patients already receiving an opioid analgesic, prescribe a lower initial dose than indicated in the absence of an opioid and titrate based on clinical response
• If an opioid is initiated in a patient already taking a benzodiazepine, prescribe a lower initial dose of the opioid and titrate based on clinical response
• Use of the drug, particularly in patients at elevated risk, necessitates counseling about risks and proper use of the drug along with monitoring for signs and symptoms of abuse, misuse, and addiction; do not exceed recommended dosing frequency
• Avoid or minimize concomitant use of CNS depressants and other substances associated with abuse, misuse, and addiction (eg, opioid analgesics, stimulants); advise patients on proper disposal of the unused drug; if a substance use disorder is suspected, evaluate patient and institute (or refer them for) early treatment, as appropriate
• For patients using treated more frequently than recommended, to reduce the risk of withdrawal reactions, use a gradual taper to discontinue therapy (a patient-specific plan should be used to taper the dose)
• Patients at an increased risk of withdrawal adverse reactions after benzodiazepine discontinuation or rapid dosage reduction include those who take higher dosages and those who have had longer durations of use
• In some cases, benzodiazepine users have developed a protracted withdrawal syndrome with withdrawal symptoms lasting weeks to more than 12 months

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug is available
• Minor tranquilizers should be avoided in 1st trimester of pregnancy due to the increased risk of congenital malformations
• Maternal use shortly before delivery is associated with floppy infant syndrome (good and consistent evidence)
• Prenatal benzodiazepine exposure slightly increased oral cleft risk (limited or inconsistent evidence)
• Lactation
  • Avoid if breastfeeding