Chlordiazepoxide (brand name Librium) is a member of the BENZODIAZEPINE family of drugs currently used to treat insomnia, anxiety, muscle spasms, and some forms of epilepsy. It was the first benzodiazepine to be used in clinical practice in the 1960s, as an alternative to PHENOBARBITAL or MEPROBAMATE, in treating psychoneuroses, anxiety, and tension. Its advantage over BARBITURATES and other central nervous system depressants is that it is less toxic, especially after an overdose.

In addition to the previously mentioned uses, chlordiazepoxide is frequently used to treat the seizures or DELIRIUM TREMENS (DTs) that appear during alcohol withdrawal. In the late 1990s, Dr. Michael Mayo-Smith conducted a meta-analysis to determine if benzodiazepines effectively prevent delirium in patients experiencing DTs. Although benzodiazepines were shown to be effective, this study was not conclusive since chlordiazepoxide was the only benzodiazepine tested, and further testing is needed on other benzodiazepines before an overall claim can be made (Johnson et al., 1997).

Bibliography

JOHNSON, J. R., ET AL. (1997). Pharmacologic treatment of alcohol withdrawal. JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 1317-1319.

CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE AND CLIDINIUM (2000). USP DI Volume II Advice for the Patient: Drug Information in Lay Language, 93.