Effect of Diazepam on Drug Absorption and Gastric Emptying in Man

Abstract

Paracetamol 20 mg kg-1 dissolved in 200 ml of water was given by mouth to seven healthy volunteers, together with a single i.v. dose of diazepam 0.2 mg kg-1 or saline 0.04 ml kg-1. This study demonstrated that the rate of paracetamol absorption was not significantly changed by diazepam, indicating that there was no delay in gastric emptying attributable to diazepam per se.

Concomitant overdosing of other drugs in patients with paracetamol poisoning

“…It was suggested that diazepam might be useful in the treatment of paracetamol poisoning. However, human studies with therapeutic doses of diazepam (0.2 mg kg x1 ) or oxazepam have not shown any changes in the rate of absorption of paracetamol [10,25,26]. In the present study, concomitant benzodiazepine overdose resulted in an increased morbidity that may reflect additional benzodiazepine toxicity.…”

“…However, the serum concentrations of ASA were only moderate (1.3, 2.0, 0.8, and 1.7 mmol l x1 , respectively), and well below the Danish recommended treatment threshold of 3.6 mmol l x1 . 25 Time to NAC (h) 16 [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] 17 19 16 14 17 8 [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] 17 Chronic alcohol 34 (34%) 132 (23%) Concomitant NSAID overdose showed a tendency towards a less severe outcome and was marginally significant as a protective factor in the development of HE (OR 0.14 (0.01, 1.36); P=0.08). In particular, no sign of increased risk of renal failure was observed.…”

“…Data on the effect of other drugs on paracetamol intoxication mainly result from animal studies [24], although interaction studies in humans receiving therapeutic doses of paracetamol have been performed and suggest a range of possible mechanisms [9,10,16,22,[25][26][27][28]. In addition, a few observational studies have been made of the effect of concomitant medication or overdosing on paracetamol toxicity in humans [7,29].…”

Concomitant overdosing of other drugs in patients with paracetamol poisoning

“…However, the serum concentrations of ASA were only moderate (1.3, 2.0, 0.8, and 1.7 mmol l x1 , respectively), and well below the Danish recommended treatment threshold of 3.6 mmol l x1 . 25 Time to NAC (h) 16 [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] 17 19 16 14 17 8 [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] 17 Chronic Concomitant NSAID overdose showed a tendency towards a less severe outcome and was marginally significant as a protective factor in the development of HE (OR 0.14 (0.01, 1.36); P=0.08). In particular, no sign of increased risk of renal failure was observed.…”

The effect of regular medication on the outcome of paracetamol poisoning

“…Interactions between paracetamol and benzodiazepines are not generally expected. Neither the absorption nor metabolism of paracetamol is affected by single therapeutic doses of diazepam or oxazepam in humans 24 ,. 25 In this study, no significant effect of regular medication with benzodiazepines on paracetamol toxicity was demonstrated despite the high proportion of patients taking benzodiazepines.…”