Lorazepam News and Research

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Clonazepam study supports European practice in status epilepticus

A study comparing outcomes among patients treated with first-line lorazepam, midazolam or clonazepam for status epilepticus finds that the three drugs are broadly equivalent.

22 Jun 2015

Veterans who died from drug overdoses also prescribed benzodiazepines for pain

In a recent study, nearly half of all veterans who died from drug overdoses while prescribed opioids for pain were also receiving benzodiazepines, or benzos, which are common medications for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia and alcohol withdrawal. Veterans prescribed higher doses of benzodiazepines while concurrently receiving opioids were at greater risk of overdose death than those on lower doses of benzodiazepines.

15 Jun 2015

Bionomics begins BNC210 Phase II clinical trial for treatment of anxiety, depression

Bionomics Limited, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and diseases of the central nervous system, today announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical study of BNC210, the Company's drug candidate in development for the treatment of anxiety and depression.

20 Apr 2015

Possible therapies to address cognitive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia

By studying specially bred mice with specific developmental and cognitive traits resembling those seen in schizophrenia, UC San Francisco researchers have provided new evidence that abnormal rhythmic activity in particular brain cells contributes to problems with learning, attention, and decision-making in individuals with that disorder.

6 Mar 2015

Study findings question benefit of giving sedatives before surgery for patients under general anesthesia

Although sedatives are often administered before surgery, a randomized trial finds that among patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, receiving the sedative lorazepam before surgery, compared with placebo or no premedication, did not improve the self-reported patient experience the day after surgery, but was associated with longer time till removal off a breathing tube (extubation) and a lower rate of early cognitive recovery, according to a study in the March 3 issue of JAMA.

4 Mar 2015

Alexza begins Phase 2a study of AZ-002 for ARS-related epilepsy management

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a Phase 2a study of AZ-002 (Staccato alprazolam), which is being developed for the management of epilepsy in patients with acute repetitive seizures (ARS).

22 Jan 2015

Study: Benzodiazepine sedatives may increase death risk in patients receiving mechanical ventilation

Sedation is frequently required for mechanically ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients to reduce anxiety, provide comfort, and assist in providing optimal respiratory support.

1 Oct 2014

2 medications equally effective in treating major epileptic brain seizures in children

A recently published clinical study in the Journal of the American Medical Association has answered an urgent question that long puzzled ER pediatricians: Is the drug lorazepam really safer and more effective than diazepam - the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medication as first line therapy most often used by emergency room doctors to control major epileptic seizures in children?

13 Jun 2014

Study: Lorazepam drug not effective in treating pediatric status epilepticus

A National Institutes of Health-sponsored study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that lorazepam - a widely used but not yet Food and Drug Administration approved drug for children - is no more effective than an approved benzodiazepine, diazepam, for treating pediatric status epilepticus.

15 May 2014

Two sedative drugs effectively treat prolonged seizures in children

The sedative drugs diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan) are equally effective in treating the prolonged seizures known as status epilepticus in children, according to a randomized, controlled study by a multi-institution team of researchers with the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network, including an expert from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

25 Apr 2014

Benzodiazepines associated with fatal pneumonia

Benzodiazepines are associated with an increased risk for developing pneumonia, as well as an increased risk for dying from pneumonia, research shows.

12 Dec 2012

True scale of anti-psychotic usage in dementia may be under-estimated

The scale of the challenge to reduce the use of anti-psychotic drugs by people with dementia may be under-estimated, according to researchers from Aston University and the University of East Anglia, working with NHS Kent and Medway. There is a key public health challenge to reduce the prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs to people with dementia as they are thought to be associated with up to 1,800 deaths a year.

19 Oct 2012

FTC votes to approve Watson's acquisition of Actavis

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has voted to approve Watson's acquisition of the Actavis group of companies.

16 Oct 2012

Anesthetics and protein interactions: an interview with José A. Fernández

For a long time there was a controversy about how anesthetics work. The large number of molecules that have anesthetic properties (from benzodiazepines to nitrous oxide) and their very different structures...

8 Oct 2012

Real-time prescription system reduces inappropriate prescribing of medications

A centralized prescription network providing real-time information to pharmacists in British Columbia, Canada, resulted in dramatic reductions in inappropriate prescriptions for opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines, widely used and potentially addictive drugs. The findings are reported in a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

5 Sep 2012

Top-line results in Pfizer's Lyrica long term safety study for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Pfizer Inc. announced today that top-line results for Lyrica (pregabalin) capsules Study A0081147 - Long Term Safety and Efficacy of Pregabalin in Subjects with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - demonstrate that drug discontinuation symptoms were low after tapering Lyrica treatment following three months and six months in GAD patients.

23 Jul 2012

Midazolam autoinjector pen more effective in treating status epilepticus

Results have just been released from an NIH study conducted at multiple sites, including the University of Kentucky, indicating that an autoinjector pen is a faster and possibly more effective way for emergency medical personnel to treat serious seizures.

17 Feb 2012

Intramuscular midazolam effective in treating status epilepticus

Drug delivery directly into muscle using an autoinjector is faster and may be more effective in stopping prolonged seizures, according to a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and conducted by a Wayne State University School of Medicine researcher.

17 Feb 2012

Rapid intramuscular injection of midazolam drug is safe, effective for status epilepticus

When a person is experiencing a prolonged convulsive seizure, quick medical intervention is critical. With every passing minute, the seizure becomes harder to stop, and can place the patient at risk of brain damage and death. This is why paramedics are trained to administer anticonvulsive medications as soon as possible -- traditionally giving them intravenously before arriving at the hospital.

16 Feb 2012

Midazolam autoinjector may effectively treat status epilepticus

Drug delivery into muscle using an autoinjector, akin to the EpiPen used to treat serious allergic reactions, is faster and may be a more effective way to stop status epilepticus, a prolonged seizure lasting longer than five minutes, according to a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Status epilepticus is a potentially life-threatening emergency that causes 55,000 deaths each year.

16 Feb 2012