Anterograde amnesia following triazolam use in two emergency physicians

Acute performance-impairing and subject-rated effects of triazolam and temazepam, alone and in combination with ethanol, in humans

The acute behavioural effects of triazolam (0.125 and 0.25 mg), temazepam (15 and 30 mg), and placebo, alone and in combination with ethanol (0 and 0.5 g/kg), were assessed in 10 volunteers. Ethanol alone did not impair performance and produced only a few subject-rated drug effects. Triazolam and temazepam alone produced some performance impairment and a few subject-rated drug effects. These effects tended to be dose-dependent and were comparable for the two drugs across the range of doses tested. The triazolam-ethanol and temazepam-ethanol combinations produced robust performance impairment and sedative-like subject-rated drug effects that were similar in magnitude. The findings of the present study suggest that even a moderate amount of ethanol in combination with a clinical dose of triazolam or temazepam can cause performance impairment that might diminish an individual's ability to respond adequately to unexpected demands (e.g. smoke alarms or middle-of-the-night child care).

ED evaluation of transient global amnesia

Transient global amnesia is an unusual syndrome involving a transient memory loss and inability to form new memories, without affecting other cognitive functions. Although the patient often lacks insight into the problem, the syndrome is very frightening for family members, who frequently present to the ED. The evaluation of the syndrome is the subject of some controversy. This review presents current understanding about the causes of transient global amnesia and an approach to the ED evaluation of the syndrome.

Hypnotic efficacy and safety of triazolam administered during the postoperative period

This study examined the hypnotic efficacy and safety of short-term use of triazolam following elective surgery. One hundred women (ages 26-69) who had received 0.125 mg of traizalam the evening before breast cancer surgery were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind study comparing triazolam to placebo. Study medication was begun on the first or second evening following surgery, depending on the patient's level of postoperative alterness, and was administered in the hospital for three consecutive evenings. The starting dose of triazolam was 0.125 mg, with the option of increasing the dose to 0.25 mg on subsequent nights if sleep response was inadequate. Relative to patients in the placebo group, patients in the triazolam group reported significantly (p < 0.05) less difficulty falling asleep, fewer nightime awakenings, better overall sleep quality, and a greater sense of restfulness. No clinically significant adverse reactions were encountered and no adverse reactions occurred more frequently in the triazolam group than in the placebo group. Results indicate that administration of traizalam is a safe and effective method of improving sleep in patients recovering from surgery.

Using triazolam to reduce dental anxiety

Triazolam, commonly prescribed to treat insomnia, also can be used to reduce dental anxiety. Despite controversial reports in the lay press, triazolam can be used safely at low doses for short periods. The authors review research concerning the drug's safety and discuss its use in dentistry.

A comparison of the acute behavioral effects of triazolam and temazepam in normal volunteers

Two experiments were conducted to assess the acute behavioral effects of triazolam and temazepam in healthy, non-drug abusing men in double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trials, where all subjects received all possible doses. These drugs were compared to examine allegations that triazolam produces greater behavioral impairment than temazepam. Drug effects were assessed during 4-h sessions using measures of recall, learning, psychomotor performance, and subject ratings assessing drug effects and abuse potential. In experiment 1, triazolam (0.25 and 0.5 mg/70 kg) produced greater behavioral impairment than temazepam (15 and 30 mg/70 kg). However, triazolam also produced greater increases than temazepam in subject ratings of drug strength, drunkenness and sleepiness, suggesting the dose ranges compared may not have been clinically equivalent. Experiment 2 was conducted to assess whether a higher dose of temazepam than tested in experiment 1 would produce levels of behavioral impairment comparable to those observed with triazolam in experiment 1. In experiment 2, the temazepam dose was increased to 60 mg/70 kg while the triazolam dose was 0.5 mg/70 kg which was the highest dose tested in experiment 1. These doses produced comparable increases in subject ratings of drug strength, drunkenness and sleepiness, but temazepam produced significantly more behavioral disruption than triazolam. These findings do not support the position that triazolam produces greater behavioral impairment than temazepam, and may even suggest that across a wide range of doses triazolam is less disruptive than temazepam.

Next-day memory impairment with triazolam use

The prevalence, rate, and degree of memory impairment for next-day activities during a short, intermittent course of bedtime doses of triazolam, temazepam, and placebo were assessed in a double-blind parallel-group study. 5 of the 6 subjects in the triazolam group reported at least one episode of next-day memory impairment/amnesia, with a total of 12 episodes being reported for the 30 subject-drug nights (a rate of 40%). In the temazepam group there were no such episodes of memory impairment. Immediate and delayed recall were also tested and related to whether active drug or placebo had been taken the night before. Impairment of delayed recall was significantly and several times greater than that in the temazepam or placebo groups. Next-day memory impairment/amnesia after a bedtime dose of triazolam tended to increase with continued or intermittent drug use. Cognitive impairments associated with triazolam probably represent a spectrum of organic brain dysfunction, with memory impairment/amnesia and confusion being the commonest, and milder manifestations and hallucinations and delusions the more severe and less common, features.