Nitrazepam is frequently used for sedation in elderly patients, some of whom may be particularly sensitive to its central effects. There have been no previous reports of delayed metabolism of nitrazepam in association with hypothyroidism. The following case report illustrates such a delay and also demonstrates some of the atypical features of hypothyroidism at presentation in elderly subjects.

The hypnotic and residual sedative effects of the first and seventh of seven regular night-time doses of nitrazepam 5 mg, temazepam 20 mg, and placebo were studied in 58 elderly inpatients. Plasma temazepam and nitrazepam concentrations rose by about 50% and 113% respectively between the mornings of day 1 and day 7. Patients reported sleeping well more often after the first dose of either hypno...

This investigation compares the effects of single and double doses of nitrazepam (5 and 10 mg) and zopiclone (7.5 and 15 mg) and placebo for 1 night in 40 psychiatric patients. The results indicate that zopiclone is an active hypnotic compound, comparable in its effects to those of nitrazepam, the higher dosage being best adapted to the type of patients included in the study.

OBJECTIVE Infantile spasms (IS) are among the most catastrophic epileptic syndromes of infancy. The purpose of this study was to compare efficacy and safety of topiramate (TPM) and nitrazepam (NZP) as first-line drugs in the treatment of IS. MATERIALS & METHODS In a parallel single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with IS referred to Pediatric Neurology Clinic of Shahid Sadoughi...

1. In a randomized study of 22 patients in a maternity ward, the residual concentrations of two hypnotics, midazolam 15 mg p.o. and nitrazepam 5 mg p.o., in early breast milk and plasma were measured 7 h after intake on day 2 to day 6 postpartum. Milk pH, milk fat and binding to plasma proteins were also investigated. Sleep variables were scored on questionnaires. 2. No measurable (less than 10...

In a group of patients with chronic bronchitis, repeated night sedation with 10 mg nitrazepam produced a fall in central respiratory drive and a steady rise in arterial carbon dioxide tension. The changes produced over a five-day period were not clinically important, except in two patients who were already hypercapnic before receiving nitrazepam. The use of this drug in patients with carbon dio...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the teratogenic effect of very large doses of nitrazepam in children born to pregnant women who attempted suicide and to check the feasibility of self-poisoning pregnant women model. DESIGN AND SETTING Comparative analysis of exposed children and their unexposed sibs born to the same mothers who attempted suicide during the study pregnancy and admitted to the toxicologic...

The influence of the newer, non-barbiturate hypnotics Mandrax (diphenhydramine-methaqualone) and nitrazepam on drug-metabolizing capacity was assessed and compared with the effect of amylobarbitone, a known inducer of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Plasma antipyrine and phenylbutazone half-lives and urinary output of 6beta-hydroxycortisol were used as indices. Volunteer subjects were exposed to the...

We used the method described here to detect and identify seven benzodiazepine derivatives--diazepam, chlorodiazepoxide, nitrazepam, cloxazolam, oxazolam, oxazepam, and medazepam--and their metabolites in the urine of rabbits given the seven drugs orally. We column-chromatographed 25-ml samples of urine on Amberlite XAD-2. The drugs and their metabolites in the urine were adsorbed by the resin, ...