Benzodiazepine Drug Names

Summary

The benzodiazepines, or benzos for short, consist of many different drug names, which are categorized by their duration of action into short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting agents.

The short-acting benzodiazepines have the fastest onset and the shortest duration. They are the most addictive compared to other benzodiazepines. Key short-acting benzos to know include triazolam and midazolam.

The intermediate-acting benzodiazepines have a balanced onset and duration that falls somewhere in between the short-acting and long-acting drugs. One key drug name to know is alprazolam. Notably, another group of intermediate acting benzos is distinguished by their safety for patients with liver damage, due to their minimal first pass metabolism. This group includes the drugs temazepam, lorazepam, and oxazepam.

Finally, the long-acting benzodiazepines have the slowest onset and the longest duration. The main drug names to know include diazepam and chlordiazepoxide.

Key Points

• Benzodiazepine Drug Names
  • Short-acting (more addictive)
    • Triazolam
    • Midazolam
    • Note: some resources use the mnemonic “ATOM” for short-acting benzodiazepines; this is not fully correct and may instead be confusing due to varying onsets of action and half-lives
  • Intermediate-acting
    • Alprazolam
    • Lorazepam
      • Used for liver disease (due to minimal first pass metabolism)
    • Oxazepam
      • Used for liver disease (due to minimal first pass metabolism)
    • Temazepam
      • Used for liver disease (due to minimal first pass metabolism)
    • Lormetazepam
  • Long-acting
    • Diazepam
    • Chlordiazepoxide
    • Clonazepam
    • Clorazepate
    • Tetrazepam
    • Flurazepam