Indications And Dose
Muscle spasm of varied aetiology ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 2–15 mg daily in divided doses, then increased if necessary to 60 mg daily, adjusted according to response, dose only increased in spastic conditions Acute muscle spasm ▶BY INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION, OR BY SLOW INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Adult: 10 mg, then 10 mg after 4 hours if required, intravenous injection to be administered into a large vein at a rate of no more than 5 mg/minute Tetanus ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Child: 100–300 micrograms/kg every 1–4 hours ▶Adult: 100–300 micrograms/kg every 1–4 hours ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INFUSION, OR BY NASODUODENAL TUBE ▶Child: 3–10 mg/kg, adjusted according to response, to be given over 24 hours ▶Adult: 3–10 mg/kg, adjusted according to response, to be given over 24 hours Muscle spasm in cerebral spasticity or in postoperative skeletal muscle spasm ▶BY MOUTH ▶Child 1–11 months: Initially 250 micrograms/kg twice daily ▶Child 1–4 years: Initially 2.5 mg twice daily ▶Child 5–11 years: Initially 5 mg twice daily ▶Child 12–17 years: Initially 10 mg twice daily; maximum 40 mg per day Anxiety ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 2 mg 3 times a day, then increased if necessary to 15–30 mg daily in divided doses, for debilitated patients, use elderly dose ▶Elderly: 1 mg 3 times a day, then increased if necessary to 7.5–15 mg daily in divided doses Insomnia associated with anxiety ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 5–15 mg daily, to be taken at bedtime Severe acute anxiety | Control of acute panic attacks | Acute alcohol withdrawal ▶BY INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION, OR BY SLOW INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Adult: 10 mg, then 10 mg after at least 4 hours if required, intravenous injection to be administered into a large vein, at a rate of not more than 5 mg/minute Acute drug-induced dystonic reactions ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Adult: 5–10 mg, then 5–10 mg after at least 10 minutes as required, to be administered into a large vein, at a rate of not more than 5 mg/minute Acute anxiety and agitation ▶BY RECTUM ▶Adult: 500 micrograms/kg, then 500 micrograms/kg after 12 hours as required ▶Elderly: 250 micrograms/kg, then 250 micrograms/kg after 12 hours as required Premedication ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 5–10 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure, for debilitated patients, use elderly dose ▶Elderly: 2.5–5 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Adult: 100–200 micrograms/kg, to be administered into a large vein at a rate of not more than 5 mg/minute, immediately before procedure Sedation in dental procedures carried out in hospital ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: Up to 20 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure Conscious sedation for procedures, and in conjunction with local anaesthesia ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 5–10 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure, for debilitated patients, use elderly dose ▶Elderly: 2.5–5 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure Sedative cover for minor surgical and medical procedures ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Adult: 10–20 mg, to be administered into a large vein over 2–4 minutes, immediately before procedure Status epilepticus | Febrile convulsions | Convulsions due to poisoning ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Neonate: 300–400 micrograms/kg, then 300–400 micrograms/kg after 10 minutes if required, to be given over 3–5 minutes. ▶Child 1 month–11 years: 300–400 micrograms/kg (max. per dose 10 mg), then 300–400 micrograms/kg after 10 minutes if required, to be given over 3–5 minutes ▶Child 12–17 years: 10 mg, then 10 mg after 10 minutes if required, to be given over 3–5 minutes ▶Adult: 10 mg, then 10 mg after 10 minutes if required, administered at a rate of 1 mL (5 mg) per minute ▶BY RECTUM ▶Neonate: 1.25–2.5 mg, then 1.25–2.5 mg after 10 minutes if required. ▶Child 1 month–1 year: 5 mg, then 5 mg after 10 minutes if required ▶Child 2–11 years: 5–10 mg, then 5–10 mg after Nervous system 10 minutes if required ▶Child 12–17 years: 10–20 mg, then 10–20 mg after 10 minutes if required ▶Adult: 10–20 mg, then 10–20 mg after 10–15 minutes if required ▶Elderly: 10 mg, then 10 mg after 10–15 minutes if required Life-threatening acute drug-induced dystonic reactions ▶BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION ▶Child 1 month–11 years: 100 micrograms/kg, repeated if necessary, to be given over 3–5 minutes ▶Child 12–17 years: 5–10 mg, repeated if necessary, to be given over 3–5 minutes Dyspnoea associated with anxiety in palliative care ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 5–10 mg daily Pain of muscle spasm in palliative care ▶BY MOUTH ▶Adult: 5–10 mg daily l UNLICENSED USE ▶With rectal use in children Diazepam Desitin ®, Diazepam Rectubes ®, and Stesolid Rectal Tubes ® not licensed for use in children under 1 year.
Source pages 382, 383