What is clorazepate?
Clorazepate is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines (ben-zoe-dye-AZE-eh-peens).
Clorazepate affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety or
seizures.
Clorazepate is used to treat anxiety disorders, partial seizures, or alcohol withdrawal
symptoms.
Clorazepate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking clorazepate?
Do not use this medication if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, or if you are allergic
to clorazepate or to other benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide
(Librium), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), or oxazepam (Serax).
Before taking clorazepate, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
-
glaucoma;
-
asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disorder (COPD), or other breathing problems;
-
kidney or liver disease;
-
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
-
a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or behavior; or
-
a history of drug or alcohol addiction.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment
or special tests during treatment.
Clorazepate can cause birth defects in an unborn baby.
Do not
use clorazepate without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you
become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using
this medication.
Clorazepate can pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this
medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
The sedative effects of clorazepate may last longer in older adults. Accidental falls are
common in elderly patients who take benzodiazepines. Use caution to avoid falling or accidental
injury while you are taking clorazepate.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 9 years old.
How should I take clorazepate?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in
larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on
your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from
this medication.
Clorazepate should be used for only a short time. Do not take this medication for
longer than 4 months without your doctor's advice.
Clorazepate may be habit-forming and
should be used only by the person it
was prescribed for
. Clorazepate should never be shared with another person,
especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a
secure place where others cannot get to it.
Contact your doctor if this medicine seems to stop working as well in treating your
anxiety symptoms.
Do not stop using clorazepate suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may
need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.
Your symptoms may return when you stop using clorazepate after using it over a long
period of time. You may also have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using clorazepate.
Withdrawal symptoms may include tremor, sweating, trouble sleeping, muscle cramps, stomach
pain, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, memory problems, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior,
and seizure (convulsions).
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood and liver function
may need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Store clorazepate at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle of this medicine.
Benzodiazepines are drugs of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is
using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.
What happens if I miss a dose of clorazepate?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose,
skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time.
Do
not
take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about clorazepate?
Your pharmacist has information about clorazepate written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of clorazepate?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
-
confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
-
depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
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muscle twitching, tremor; or
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problems with urination.
Less serious side effects may include:
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drowsiness, tiredness;
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amnesia or forgetfulness;
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dizziness;
-
blurred vision;
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feeling nervous or irritable;
-
sleep problems (insomnia);
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muscle weakness, lack of balance or coordination;
-
skin rash;
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nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation; or
-
dry mouth; or
-
headache.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell
your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about clorazepate?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to clorazepate or to other
benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium),
lorazepam (Ativan), or oxazepam (Serax).
This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use
clorazepate if you are pregnant.
Before taking clorazepate, tell your doctor if you have any breathing problems, glaucoma,
kidney or liver disease, or a history of depression, suicidal thoughts, or addiction to drugs or
alcohol.
Do not drink alcohol while taking clorazepate. This medication can increase the
effects of alcohol.
Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy. They can add to sleepiness caused by
clorazepate.
Clorazepate may be habit-forming and
should be used only by the person it
was prescribed for
. Clorazepate should never be shared with another person,
especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a
secure place where others cannot get to it.
What should I avoid while taking clorazepate?
Do not drink alcohol while taking clorazepate. This medication can increase the
effects of alcohol.
Clorazepate can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be
careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold
or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for
seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by clorazepate.
What other drugs will affect clorazepate?
Before taking clorazepate, tell your doctor if you are taking any other anti-anxiety
medications, or if you are using any of the following drugs:
-
a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol),
mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
-
an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan),
phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine
(Parnate);
-
medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as
chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), mesoridazine (Serentil), pimozide (Orap), or
thioridazine (Mellaril);
-
narcotic medications such as butorphanol (Stadol),
codeine, hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), meperidine (Demerol),
methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), naloxone
(Narcan), oxycodone (OxyContin), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet); or
-
antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon),
amoxapine (Asendin), citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin),
doxepin (Sinequan), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox),
imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), protriptyline
(Vivactil), sertraline (Zoloft), or trimipramine (Surmontil).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact
with clorazepate. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications
you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other
doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of clorazepate?
