Seven benzodiazepines are now available for clinical use in Britain: chlordiazepoxide (Librium - Roche; Tropium - DDSA), diazepam (Valium - Roche; Atensine - Berk), nitrazepam (Mogadon - Roche), oxazepam (Serenid-D - Wyeth), medazepam (Nobrium - Roche), lorazepam (Ativan - Wyeth) and, the latest arrival, clorazepate (Tranxene - Boehringer Ingelheim). More are being developed. Nitrazepam is usually prescribed as a hypnotic, the remainder primarily for the relief of anxiety. Although the introduction of each new compound has been accompanied by claims that it represents a significant advance in therapy, the evidence supporting these claims is tenuous.

There are now seven benzodiazepines available in Britain, but the evidence supporting their significant advances in therapy is weak.

Paper

Benzodiazepines - too many similar compounds?

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