Nitrazepam
About
Nitrazepam belongs to a group of medications called 'benzodiazepines' (BZD) primarily used to treat anxiety disorders, insomnia and prevention of seizures (fits) due to epilepsy. An anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by excessive fear or worry, that affects individual daily activities. Epilepsy is a brain-related neurological disorder characterized by episodes of seizures (fits) due to a chemical change in the brain cells (neurons) that leads to a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain followed by sudden jerky movements of limbs or a part of the body. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder in which a person finds difficulty in feeling asleep or staying asleep.
Nitrazepam contain ‘Nitrazepam’ that works by increasing levels of brain cells (neurons) calming chemical, known as gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA), in your brain that helps to relieve anxiety, prevents further seizures attacks (fits), and relaxes tense muscles. Besides this, Nitrazepam relieves temporary insomnia (sleeplessness) due to anxiety disorder. Nitrazepam is not recommended for mild to moderate anxiety and tension related to day-to-day life.
Take Nitrazepam as your doctor has prescribed it. You may experience daytime drowsiness, loss of coordination, nightmares, headache, light-headedness, or dizziness in some cases. Most of these side effects of Nitrazepam do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, please reach out to your doctor.
If you are known to be allergic to Nitrazepam or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Do not take Nitrazepam if you have any lung disease, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), sleeping disorder or difficulty in sleeping (sleep apnoea), severe liver or kidney disease. Nitrazepam is not recommended for children below 18 years of age. Nitrazepam is a habit-forming drug and hence there is a risk of dependence on Nitrazepam. So, before stopping Nitrazepam, contact a doctor as it may cause withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, increased heart rate, tremor or general unwell feeling.
Uses of Nitrazepam
Medicinal Benefits
Nitrazepam is a “benzodiazepines” that increases the chemical messenger (GABA) in your brain, thereby decreasing the feeling of nervousness, stress and anxiety, leading to a state of calmness and relaxation induces sleep. Nitrazepam benefits people who struggle with anxiety and worries in daily life. Regular intake of the prescribed dose of Nitrazepam improves social-life and your ability and performance at work and general wellbeing.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Nitrazepam
- Drowsiness during the day
- Feeling of emptiness
- Reduced alertness
- Confusion
- Tiredness
- Loss of coordination
- Headache
- Nightmares
- Dizziness
- Muscle weakness
- Double vision
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not take Nitrazepam if you are known to be allergic to Nitrazepam or other benzodiazepines class of medicines like clonazepam, lorazepam, diazepam etc. Nitrazepam is not recommended for use below 18 years of age. Do not take Nitrazepam if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as it may cause adverse effects in the baby. Nitrazepam should be used with caution in elderly patients above 65 years as there is an increased risk of adverse reactions such as drowsiness, dizziness, and muscle weakness. Inform your doctor if you have myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness), drug addiction, chronic pulmonary insufficiency, narrow-angle glaucoma, kidney/liver problem before taking Nitrazepam. Taking Nitrazepam with opioid pain killer medicines (like codeine, oxycodone and hydrocodone) can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems, coma, and even death. Nitrazepam should be taken with extreme caution in patients who have a history of alcoholism or drug abuse. If you feel excess suicidal thoughts, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances (apnoea), dizziness, or, sleepiness let your doctor know about this.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Nitrazepam may have interaction with any other medicines to treat anxiety or depression or to help you sleep (nefazodone, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine), medicines to treat epilepsy (phenytoin, phenobarbital), pain killers (morphine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, buprenorphine), antihistamines (chlorphenamine, diphenhydramine, promethazine), antifungal (fluconazole), antibiotics (erythromycin), medicines used for treating stomach ulcers (cimetidine, omeprazole), medicines used for angina and high blood pressure (diltiazem), medicines used to treat various heart conditions (digoxin), medicines used for treating HIV (ritonavir, zidovudine), antipsychotic medicines used to treat mental illnesses like schizophrenia, medicines used for treating tuberculosis (isoniazid, rifampicin).
Drug-Food Interaction: Nitrazepam may interact with grapefruit, grapefruit juice, and caffeine-containing food or drinks should be avoided as they can affect the working of Nitrazepam.
Drug-Disease Interaction: If you have narrow-angle glaucoma, myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness), pulmonary insufficiency, kidney/liver problems, inform your doctor before taking Nitrazepam.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid consumption of alcohol with Nitrazepam as it may increase the risk of drowsiness and other adverse effects.
Pregnancy
unsafeNitrazepam is a category D pregnancy drug. Hence, it is not recommended for use during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters as it may cause harm the unborn baby.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAvoid breastfeeding while taking Nitrazepam as it may be excreted in breast milk and cause adverse effects like sedation in the baby.
Driving
unsafeNitrazepam may cause dizziness, double vision or drowsiness in some people. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel drowsy, dizzy or experience any vision problems after taking Nitrazepam.
Liver
cautionTake Nitrazepam with caution, especially if you have or had a history of liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Kidney
cautionTake Nitrazepam with caution, especially if you have or had a history of kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
unsafeNitrazepam is not recommended for children below 18 years of age. Nitrazepam is not recommended for the treatment of anxiety or sleeping problems in the children.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Do regular exercise which can help lower anxiety by releasing endorphins and improving your sleep and self-image.
- Find the humor in your daily life. Try to watch a comedy show to help relieve stress.
- You can try increasing your mindfulness, by including yoga, meditation, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction.
- Drink enough water to stay hydrated and limit or avoid alcohol and caffeine to relieve anxiety.
- Include a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruits. This is a healthier option than eating a lot of simple carbohydrates found in processed foods.
- Herbs like turmeric, ginger and chamomile contain anti-inflammatory properties. Including these kinds of stuff in the meal can reduce inflammation caused due to anxiety disorder.
- Reduce your alcohol, caffeine, added sugar, high salt and high fat intake. Especially trans-fat may help also help reduce inflammation.
- You can include antioxidants in your daily diet like ashwagandha, omega-3 fatty acids, green tea and lemon balm.
Special Advise
- Do not take Nitrazepam for a prolonged time as, it may lead to mental or physical dependence on Nitrazepam.
- Nitrazepam causes drowsiness. Avoid doing activities that require your complete focus and attention like driving when on this drug.
- An abrupt stoppage of Nitrazepam can lead to significant withdrawal symptoms. Always discuss with your doctor about decreasing the dosage before completely stopping its usage.
- Avoid consuming alcohol while on this medication as it can lead to dangerous side effects.
- Nitrazepam is unsafe for usage if you're pregnant or are planning to get pregnant. Discuss with your doctor in such situations about changing/replacing the medicine with safer alternatives.
- To avoid getting addicted to this drug take it only in prescribed quantities and only as directed by your doctor. Do not self-medicate.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Insomnia: It is a sleep disorder in which there is a problem falling asleep or staying asleep. If you have sleep problems occurring at least 3 nights per week for a minimum of 3 months or causing functional problems with major distress in an individual's life, then insomnia is confirmed.
Anxiety disorder: It is a mental health disorder associated with fear, worry and excessive nervousness that may interfere with daily activities. The anxiety symptoms include feeling more stress than required for that event and lack of ability to set aside restlessness and worry.
Epilepsy: A chronic disorder characterized by episodes of seizures (fits) which means sudden jerky movements of limbs or other body parts. Anyone can develop epilepsy, but it is commonly seen in young children and the elderly.
FAQs
Quitting smoking, avoiding intake of alcohol and caffeine-containing food drinks can help you in minimizing the common side effect. If side effects like exhausted feeling, sleepiness (sedation), muscle weakness and body posture imbalance persist it means you need some blood test to find out the exact cause.
If intake of Nitrazepam makes you feel sleepy or dizzy do not drive a motor vehicle or operate a machinery. Let your doctor know if you feel such symptoms after taking this medicine.
Do not stop taking Nitrazepam until instructed by your doctor. You may get side effects like confusion, depression, nervousness, sweating and diarrhoea. Your doctor may lower the dose of Nitrazepam if exceeded more than 2-4 weeks of treatment to reduce side effects.
No, Nitrazepam is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause adverse effects in the baby such as changes in heart rate, movements, muscle weakness, breathing problems, drowsiness or drop in body temperature. Therefore, if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy, please inform your doctor before taking Nitrazepam.
Yes, Nitrazepam may cause mental or physical dependence if used for a prolonged time. Therefore, take Nitrazepam only in dose and duration as advised by your doctor.
