Relium: instructions for use, reviews and analogues

A few words about the composition and form of release

The instructions describe the drug "Relium" as a medicinal product that has two release forms. This medication is sold in the form of injections intended for intravenous and intramuscular administration, as well as in the form of tablets for oral administration.

The liquid intended for injection is colorless, sometimes with a greenish-yellow tint. The drug is sold in glass ampoules, each of which contains two milliliters of liquid. The medicine is packaged in cardboard packages, each of which contains five, ten or fifty ampoules.

The active ingredient of the solution is diazepam in an amount of 5 mg per ampoule. In addition, the liquid also contains auxiliary components such as alcohol, sodium benzoate and water for injection and propylene glycol.

The instructions for use also describe the drug "Relium" as tablets intended for oral use. The pills are packaged in blisters, each containing twenty tablets. But the blister itself is already packed in a cardboard package. Just like injections, oral tablets contain diapesam. But the content of auxiliary components differs significantly. The tablets also contain potato starch, gelatin, magnesium stearate, talc, gelatin and lactose.

General information about the drug Relium

Relium is a standard psycholeptic of European quality.
It is produced in Warsaw (Poland) at the Polfa pharmaceutical concern. The medication has a combined effect, providing anticonvulsant and sedative effects. The drug is on the list recommended for availability in medical institutions compiled by the World Health Organization. Relium belongs to the pharmacological group of psycholeptic drugs, a subgroup of anxiolytics, benzodiazepine derivatives. A special feature of this group is that all drugs included in its composition are sold strictly according to prescription. International nonproprietary name (INN) is Diazepam.

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The drug is actively used in psychiatric, neurological and drug addiction practices. It can also be used in selected clinical cases of infectious diseases.

Release forms

Available in the form of film-coated tablets. Each tablet is round, biconvex, yellow in color. Dosage is exclusively 5 mg.

The price of medicine in Russian pharmacies differs slightly.

In what cases can it be used?

The instructions for use of the drug "Relium" recommend taking it for conditions characterized by insomnia, neuroses, anxiety, as well as fear and nervous tension. Doctors also recommend using this product before surgery and to reduce the level of nervous excitement.

The drug has shown itself very well in the treatment of conditions associated with increased motor excitability, as well as alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The medication can be used in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, in which the level of performance of skeletal muscles is significantly reduced. In addition, Relium tablets and injections (instructions for use, reviews confirm the effectiveness of the medicine) can be used as part of complex therapy in the treatment of epilepsy.

Interaction of Diazepam

Only under the supervision of a doctor can Diazepam be used with other drugs.
"Diazepam" enhances the effect of ethanol, antidepressants, sedatives, and antipsychotics. Antacids reduce the absorption of Diazepam, MAO inhibitors (microsomal oxidation) enhance its effect. Simultaneous use of this drug with other groups of psychotropics reduces its effect.

Are there any contraindications for use?

Instructions for use and reviews of Relium confirm that this drug copes well with its intended purpose. However, it should be taken with extreme caution, as there are a large number of contraindications.

First of all, those people who have hypersensitivity to any components included in this drug should avoid taking this medicine. Also, the product should not be used for various disorders of the respiratory system.

Doctors prohibit taking medication in cases of impaired consciousness, serious depressive states, in the presence of serious brain injuries, as well as in case of excessive use of alcohol, narcotic and other psychotropic substances.

Under no circumstances should representatives of the fair sex take this drug during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. The product can be used to treat children starting from the age of two.

The instructions recommend taking the drug "Relium" with special caution to those patients who suffer from serious pathologies of the liver and kidneys, as well as to the elderly. The drug can be prescribed in the presence of epileptic seizures, but in this case you need to carefully monitor your health. Also, doctors prescribe the drug with caution to patients with organic brain damage.

Indications and detailed instructions

The list of indications for the use of Relium is constantly expanding, thanks to comprehensive research conducted by both pharmacists and clinicians. Today, the list of conditions for which it is used is as follows:

• acute and chronic anxiety disorders, including those associated with the presence of concomitant diseases (oncology of any localization, hypertension);
• tetanus or diseases manifested by increased tone of skeletal muscles (arthritis, myositis, post-stroke condition) - in combination with the main therapy;
• spastic syndromes associated with a disorder of the functioning of the upper motor neuron in the medulla oblongata (paraplegia, athetosis);
• withdrawal syndrome due to alcohol or drug addiction;
• insomnia associated with feelings of fear;
• epilepsy - as an additional component of the main treatment;
• convulsive syndrome.

Restrictions

It is prohibited to use it if at least one of the following conditions is present:

• hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
• severe respiratory failure of both peripheral and central origin;
• myasthenia gravis;
• angle-closure glaucoma;
• severe liver or kidney failure.

Separately, it is worth noting that Relium cannot be used in obstetric practice, since it has a detrimental effect on uteroplacental blood flow and, therefore, disrupts the intrauterine development of the fetus. Use of the medication after 34 weeks of pregnancy causes disturbances in the fetal heart rate and distress syndrome. Children born to mothers taking Relium lose their sucking reflex and develop respiratory problems.

Prescribing psycholytic drugs during lactation is also excluded. In this situation, it is necessary to decide: either the woman is breastfeeding the child or taking the drug. At the same time, these things are incompatible.

In pediatric practice it is used in isolated cases and very rarely. This is due to the fact that children need a smaller dosage, but there is no such alternative. And dividing one tablet into several parts does not always lead to the desired effect. Therefore, in this situation, the choice remains with the attending physician.

Dosage

The duration of treatment and dosage are determined solely by the doctor in each individual case. The treatment regimens indicated by the manufacturer are indicative and recommended. In practice, sometimes you have to adjust them. Let's look at the main ones:

1. Anxiety – 5-10 mg twice a day, regardless of meals.
2. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome - start with 10 mg three times a day, then 5 mg 4 times.
3. Hypertonicity – 2 tablets 3 times a day.
4. Trouble falling asleep - 2 tablets immediately before bedtime.
5. Premedication – 5-20 mg.

The duration of medication treatment depends on the diagnosis and can be 4-12 weeks. When treating elderly patients, it is necessary to take into account that you should start with a minimum dose and gradually increase it. It cannot be canceled abruptly. The dose reduction occurs in the opposite order.

Application of injections

The injection solution can be administered either intravenously or intramuscularly. The first method of administration can be carried out by jet or drip. To implement the jet method, one ampoule of this liquid is used, which is diluted with eight milliliters of physiological solution. The drug should be administered very slowly. In one minute, no more than four milliliters of the medicinal substance should enter the vein.

The drug can also be administered using a dropper. In this case, ten ampoules of the Relium drug are immediately taken and diluted with half a liter of physiological solution. In this case, the rate of introduction of the solution should be about forty milliliters of liquid per hour.

The drug can also be administered intramuscularly. The medicine must be injected deeply into the largest muscles.

For patients suffering from liver and kidney diseases, the dosage should be reduced. The same applies to older people.

Is it possible to develop side effects?

The drug "Relium" (instructions for use, reviews, analogues are described in this article) almost always leads to the occurrence of undesirable effects from the central nervous system at the beginning of treatment. Quite often, patients taking this drug complain of increased fatigue, drowsiness, bad mood, depression, headache, decreased concentration and other phenomena. Most often, such phenomena occur in the elderly population. However, over time, the patients' condition returns to normal.

Undesirable effects from the digestive system also occur quite often. Many patients complain of a constant feeling of thirst, heartburn, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, hiccups and other phenomena.

The use of the drug may adversely affect the cardiovascular and genitourinary systems. The drug can also cause addiction.

Instructions for use

The instructions describe the conditions for taking diazepam tablets - twice a day in an amount of 4-15 mg. In this case, the maximum dosage should not exceed 60 mg. The drug is prescribed only in a full hospital setting, as it has a large number of contraindications and side effects that affect the general condition of a person.

The amount of medication for infants over 6 months is 0.1–0.8 mg, depending on the child’s weight, 3–4 times a day, unless there are contraindications.

The use of diazepam ampoules involves intramuscular or intravenous administration of the drug in the prescribed dosage as prescribed by the attending physician. The maximum amount of medication is 20 mg.

The required course of therapy depends on the degree of development of the disease and is prescribed by the attending physician after a thorough study of the presented clinical picture. For insomnia, treatment is recommended for about 7 days, and the development of a nervous disorder involves taking the medicine for no more than 3 months with a gradual reduction in the main dosage.

For the drug diazepam, the instructions for use contain prohibited combinations with other drugs and substances of varying degrees of impact:

• neuroleptic and sedatives, as they cause depression of the nervous system, which leads to severe arterial hypertension;
• tricyclic antidepressants;
• muscle relaxants can lead to the development of apnea;
• contraceptives for internal use increase side effects;
• taking diclofenac increases headaches and migraines;
• simultaneous combination with bupivacaine and fluvoxamine increases plasma concentration in the blood;
• paracetamol, isoniazid reduces the rate of removal of diazepam from the body;
• acceleration of the process of absorption of diazepam with parallel administration of phenobarbital, rifampicin, phenytoin;
• decreased sedative effect when taking caffeine;
• taking clozapine causes the development of arterial hypertension and loss of consciousness;
• risk of coma when taking lithium carbonate;
• a small dosage of Theophylline causes a decrease in sedative effect;
• omeprazole, disulfiram cimetidine increase the exposure time of diazepam;
• the formation of pathological intoxication while taking drugs with alcohol.

Important Tips

The drug can be used in the presence of organic brain lesions, as well as heart failure and glaucoma. However, in this case, the drug must be taken with extreme caution and under the constant supervision of a specialist.

The instructions for use of the drug "Relium" (5 mg) recommend that you stop using it very gradually. After all, the use of this drug is addictive and can cause withdrawal symptoms. In this case, the patient may experience a sudden feeling of anxiety, tremors, convulsions, as well as other negative phenomena from the central nervous system.

Under no circumstances should the use of this pharmaceutical product be combined with alcohol-containing drinks. During the course of treatment, it is not recommended to drive a car or operate serious machinery, as the body’s mental and motor reactions are significantly reduced.

The medicine should not be administered into the body via the intra-arterial route.

Interaction with other drugs and special instructions

Treatment with Relium is stopped gradually. Sudden withdrawal after prolonged use may be accompanied by agitation, anxiety, convulsions, and tremors.

If the patient develops paradoxical reactions (for example, hallucinations, acute agitation or anxiety), Relium should be discontinued.

After intramuscular injection, the activity of creatine phosphokinase in the blood plasma may increase. This should be remembered in the differential diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

Intra-arterial administration of Relium is not recommended.

During the entire treatment period, it is prohibited to drink alcoholic beverages.

Diazepam may reduce the speed of mental and/or motor reactions, which should be warned about in patients whose activities are associated with a risk to health and life.

When Relium is used in combination with drugs that depress the central nervous system (hypnotics and sedatives, anesthetics, neuroleptics, opioid analgesics, etc.), the inhibitory effect on the central nervous system and respiratory center is enhanced, and a pronounced decrease in blood pressure occurs.

In patients who have been receiving centrally acting antihypertensive agents, beta-adrenergic blockers, cardiac glycosides and anticoagulants for a long time, the mechanisms and extent of drug interactions may be unpredictable. In this regard, caution should be exercised when prescribing Relium to people who have been receiving the listed drugs for a long time (especially in the initial stages of treatment).

The drug aggravates the effect of tricyclic antidepressants on the central nervous system, increases their plasma concentration and enhances the severity of the cholinergic effect. By enhancing the effect of muscle relaxants, diazepam increases the risk of apnea.

In addition, with simultaneous use of Relium:

• Increases the concentration of bupivacaine in blood plasma;
• Enhances the effect and suppresses the metabolism of phenytoin;
• May suppress the antiparksonian effect of levodopa.

Drugs that affect the effectiveness of diazepam:

• Fluvoxamine – increases plasma concentration and increases side effects;
• Omeprazole, cimetidine and disulfiram - increase the intensity and duration of the effect of the tranquilizer;
• Oral contraceptives - may enhance the effect, increasing the chance of breakthrough bleeding;
• Isoniazid and paracetamol - reduce excretion;
• Rifampicin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, drugs that cause the induction of liver enzymes (including antiepileptics) - accelerate excretion;
• Caffeine – reduces sedative and possibly anxiolytic effects;
• Theophylline (in low doses) – distorts the sedative effect.

Use of Relium in combination with:

• Clozapine - can cause a sharp decrease in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and respiratory depression;
• Diclofenac – increases the likelihood of increased dizziness;
• Metoprolol - worsens mental and motor reactions, reduces visual acuity;
• Lithium carbonate – in isolated cases can cause the development of a coma;
• Risperidone – increases the risk of developing neuroleptic malignant syndrome;
• Ethanol - enhances the inhibitory effect on the central nervous system, primarily on the respiratory center, and increases the risk of developing pathological intoxication syndrome.

Pharmacology

The active ingredient diazepam, which is part of this medicine, has anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and hypnotic effects.

The drug has a significant effect on the central nervous system. It should be borne in mind that the active component has a positive effect only an hour after it enters the body.

Analogs

Analogues of diazepam are represented by a large selection of drugs with identical structural substances and pharmacological effects. The most popular substitutes are presented below:

1. Relanium. An effective analogue of the original containing diazepam as an active ingredient. The drug is presented in the form of a solution, tablets and is prescribed for various diseases of the nervous system. Contraindications: alcohol intoxication, pregnancy, breastfeeding, allergic manifestations, heart failure, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, coma. Price 150–200 rubles.
2. Sibazon. One of the effective analogues of diazepam with an identical active ingredient and release form. Area of ​​application: treatment and restoration of the nervous system under various conditions. Contraindications: drinking large amounts of alcohol, pregnancy, lactation, glaucoma, acute COPD, myasthenia gravis, sleep apnea. Price 50–100 rubles.
3. Phenazepam. An effective substitute for diazepam in tablet form. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of various neuroses and psychological disorders. Use is not recommended during pregnancy, breastfeeding, severe poisoning of the body, myasthenia gravis, coma, glaucoma, severe depression. Price 80–120 rubles.
4. Lorazepam. An analogue of diazepam in the form of a solution and tablets with a high degree of impact. The medicine has a wide range of applications and is prescribed to stabilize the general nervous condition. Contraindications: allergies, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, drug and alcohol addiction, apnea, pregnancy, lactation, children under 12 years of age. Price 200–250 rubles.
5. Nozepam. An anxiolytic drug containing oxazepam. Indications for use: neuroses, mental disorders, depression, sleep disturbances, menopause in women. Contraindications: alcohol poisoning, coma, myasthenia gravis, shock, COPD, pregnancy, breastfeeding, children under 6 years of age, intolerance to the main components. Price 320–350 rubles.

Important! It is dangerous to independently replace a drug recommended by a doctor with a similar one, since the patient may not know all the nuances of therapy.

Video on the topic: Doctor's review of the drug Diazepam

Reviews from patients and doctors

Almost all patients who have experienced the effect of the drug "Relium" speak positively about it. The remedy very quickly eliminates cramps, calms, and also eliminates the state of disorder and anxiety. The drug has a calming effect before surgery, improves mood and lowers blood pressure.

However, despite such a good positive therapeutic effect, it is also worth considering that too long use of the drug can lead to addiction. Those patients who stopped using the drug "Relium" immediately experienced the onset of depression and anxiety. Therefore, doctors recommend discontinuing this medication as gradually as possible.

People suffering from frequent epileptic seizures also speak positively about the product. The medication significantly improves health, eliminating seizures and other symptoms of epilepsy.

Doctors quite often recommend this remedy to their patients. However, it must be taken with extreme caution and under the strict supervision of a doctor. The drug can have not only positive, but also negative effects on the body, so during the course of treatment it is very important to constantly monitor your health.

Experts recommend this medicine for insomnia, depression, epilepsy, as well as for impaired motor function associated with deformation of skeletal muscles.

"Diazepam", pregnancy and lactation

Diazepam is not used during pregnancy.
Since Diazepam has a teratogenic effect on the fetus (it can disrupt development and lead to abnormalities), it is not used during pregnancy. As an exception, in particularly severe cases, a minimum dose of this drug can be used, but only in the second trimester and under the strict supervision of a doctor. During breastfeeding, taking Diazepam is also prohibited. If it is necessary to take this medication, feeding should be stopped.

conclusions

The drug "Relium" is a very serious drug on a synthetic basis. The medication is very effective and does its job well. However, it is very important not to harm your body during use. Take this medicine only if it has been recommended by a neurologist; do not risk your life.

Take charge of your health today. Establish a daily routine, eat right, play sports, and then you will not need synthetic sedatives. Don’t neglect your health, consult a doctor promptly at the slightest sign of illness. Do not forget that any disease is much easier to prevent than to treat, so rely only on yourself.

Overdose

When repeating courses or using the drug “Diazepam” too often, the active substance or its active metabolite accumulates in body tissues. Against the background of liver or kidney failure, the time for excretion of metabolic products increases even more. If you violate the rules for using the drug, an overdose may develop. This phenomenon also occurs as a consequence of significantly exceeding therapeutic doses of the drug.

The pathological condition is manifested by extreme agitation, depression of the heart and/or respiratory system, and blocking of reflexes. In severe cases, coma develops. Treatment involves gastric lavage, taking enterosorbents, and using the antidote - Flumazenil.