We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is Cloxazolam?

By Susan Abe
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 9,887
References
Share

Cloxazolam is a benzodiazepine medication unavailable in the US, but marketed in some European countries, Asia and Brazil. Benzodiazepines are a class of medication that acts selectively on the brain's gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system to produce mild sedation as well as muscle relaxant, anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety effects. Cloxazolam is usually administered for preoperative nervousness and as a short-term treatment — generally less than 14 days — for anxiety. This medication is administered orally, throughout the day, with a usual adult dosage of up to 12 mg per day for treatment of anxiety. A preoperative dosage may be as much as 100 mg per kilogram of body weight in a one-time dose.

Cloxazolam is a long-acting benzodiazepine with a half-life of 65 hours. This essentially means that a one-half of a given dose remains biochemically active as long as 65 hours after administration. For comparison, a common short-term benzodiazepine, oxazepam, has a half-life of eight hours while a longer-acting member of this drug family can demonstrate a half-life of up to 100 hours. As with most benzodiazepines, cloxazolam is metabolized in the liver and excreted by the kidneys. For this reason, elderly patients and patients with pre-existing liver disease may require decreased doses or fewer doses administered per day.

Side effects of cloxazolam also common to other benzodiazepines include sedation, confusion, memory loss and difficulty with balance. Specifically, cloxazolam is also known to cause palpitations, a rapid heart rate and high blood pressure at times. Changes in muscle tone, involuntary motor movement such as tics, diaphoresis or sweating and a susceptibility to infections may also occur as specific side effects of this medication. Cloxazolam also interacts with other sedative medications, sleep medications, pain medications and alcohol to cause potentially life-threatening sedation and respiratory depression. Combining this medication with any of the medication types noted above should be avoided without explicit physician approval.

Long-term use of any benzodiazepine medication, including cloxazolam, can lead to physical and psychological dependency upon the medication as the body's physiology comes to rely upon the medication's effects. Benzodiazepines should never be stopped abruptly or without medical supervision. The majority of programs for benzodiazepine dependency rely on a very slow taper program — often months in duration — in order to avoid life-threatening withdrawal side effects. During a benzodiazepine taper, patients are also taught life skills such as relaxation techniques, exercise or meditation to deal with stressful situations they will undoubtedly encounter.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-cloxazolam.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.