• All forms of epilepsy:
    • Initially PO 0.5mg TDS
    • May increase to 1mg/day after 3 days (up to 4mg/day in some patients)
  • Panic disorders (with or without agoraphobia) resistant to antidepressant therapy
    • Initially PO 0.25mg BD
    • Increase by 0.25-0.5mg/day every 3 days
    • Max: 4mg/day
  • Essential tremor (Off-label):
    • PO 0.5mg at bedtime
    • Increase dose by 0.5mg every 3-4days
    • Max 6mg/day
  • REM sleep behavior disorder (Off-label):
    • PO 0.25-2mg 30min prior to bedtime
    • Max 4mg
  • Restless legs syndrome, sleep terrors, sleepwalking:
    • PO 0.5mg-2mg every night at bedtime
    • Taken 30 min before bedtime

Tablet:

  • 0.5mg
  • 2mg

Taper dose gradually to discontinue

Long-acting benzodiazepine

It increases the presynaptic GABA inhibition and reduces the monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflexes. It suppresses muscle contractions by facilitating inhibitory GABA neurotransmission and other inhibitory transmitters

  • Drowsiness
  • Impaired coordination
  • Dizziness
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Dysarthria
  • Amnesia
  • Asthenia
  • Confusion
  • Impaired concentration
  • Disinhibition
  • Libido changes
  • Irritability
  • Dystonia
  • Diplopia
  • Appetite changes
  • Constipation
  • Incontinence
  • Urinary retention
  • Hypotension
  • Rash
  • Elevated LFTs
  • Hypersensitivity to class/components
  • Severe hepatic impairment
  • Acute narrow angle glaucoma

WARNING:

  • Risk of addiction, abuse or misuse
  • Concomitant benzodiazepine use with opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death
  • Risk of dependence and withdrawal symptoms
  • Amifampridine
  • Bupropion
  • Dalfampridine
  • Metoclopramide

                          Drug Status

Availability Prescription only
Pregnancy Category D
Breastfeeding Contraindicated
Schedule Controlled
BRAND NAME STRENGTH FORMULATION PACK SIZE MANUFACTURER DISTRIBUTOR
Coclam 2mg Tablet 30’s Centaur Pharma Sai Pharma
Rivotril 2mg Tablet 30’s F. Hoffman-La Roche Roche Kenya
Rivotril 0.5mg Tablet 50’s F. Hoffman-La Roche Roche Kenya