(Legend)

Generic Name

• Chlordiazepoxide
  T½ = 5–30 h
  Pregnancy category D

Trade Name

• Librium
• Libritabs
• Apo-Chlordiazepoxide; Librax [comb w clidinium]
• Limbitrol DS [comb w amitriptyline]

Dose Range/Adult Daily Dose

• Anxiety: 5–25 mg po 3–4 × daily
  Alcohol withdrawal: IM: 50–100 mg; may repeat in 3–4 h or po 50–100 mg; repeat until agitation ↓ (to 400 mg/d)

Use/Common Side Effects (CSE)

• Use: Adjunct anxiety management; alcohol withdrawal
  CSE: Dizziness, drowsiness, pain at IM site

Geriatric & Dose Considerations

• May cause prolonged sedation in the elderly and is associated with ↑ risk of falls. Must reduce dose or consider short-acting benzodiazepine.

Classification

• Antianxiety agent [benzo]

Assessment Cautions

• Contraindicated: Narrow-angle glaucoma, porphyria; caution with hepatic/renal impairment and history of suicide attempt/substance abuse