Examples

How It Works

Benzodiazepines are sedative medications. They affect chemicals in the nervous system and brain to reduce communication between nerve cells. This process improves sleep, relieves anxiety, and relaxes muscles for some people.

Why It Is Used

These drugs generally are used to treat anxiety, nervousness, muscular spasms, and seizures. Benzodiazepines may be used alone, usually for people who only have sleep problems or only have periodic limb movements. Low doses of benzodiazepines may also be used alone in initial attempts to relieve mild symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Benzodiazepines may be used with other drugs, such as dopamine, opioid, or anticonvulsant medicine, that have failed to improve symptoms when used alone. They are especially helpful in improving sleeplessness that has not been helped by other drugs.

How Well It Works

These medications often help improve sleep quality and may reduce leg movements.

Side Effects

Side effects may include daytime sleepiness or confusion and dependency on the drug that may include difficult withdrawal. Sleep apnea may develop or become worse while taking benzodiazepines.

Many doctors are especially concerned about elderly patients taking these drugs. The sedative components of benzodiazepines increase the risk of falling, which may result in a serious injury in an older person.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

These drugs may be combined with other treatments, such as levodopa or dopamine agonists or anticonvulsants such as gabapentin.

More study is needed to discover the full range of side effects. Benzodiazepines have not yet been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for treatment of restless legs syndrome.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.