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Clinical and biochemical comparison of clorazepate and diazepam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Ashley Robin*
Affiliation:
From Runwell Hospital, Essex, and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The London Hospital Medical College, London
Stephen H. Curry
Affiliation:
From Runwell Hospital, Essex, and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The London Hospital Medical College, London
Robin Whelpton
Affiliation:
From Runwell Hospital, Essex, and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The London Hospital Medical College, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr. Ashley Robin, Runwell Hospital, Wickford, Essex.

Sysnopsis

Clorazepate and diazepam were compared with respect to clinical effectiveness and concentrations of benzodiazepine compounds in plasma in 15 severely anxious outpatients. Each patient was studied in a double blind trial incorporating two-week periods of the two drugs and of placebo. The doses were almost equimolar—5 mg diazepam or 7·5 mg clorazepate three times daily. Clinical progress was assessed by visual analogue scales and by the Symptom Rating Test. Psychopathology scores were highest at the end of the placebo periods, and lowest at the end of the clorazepate periods, regardless of the order of treatments. After diazepam, both diazepam and N-desmethyldiazepam (nordiazepam) were detected in blood, and after clorazepate, only N-desmethyldiazepam was detected. N-Desmethyldiazepam concentrations were higher after clorazepate. Clinical progress was apparently related to the concentration of N-desmethyldiazepam in plasma.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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