Oxazepam (Serax) discription and use:support4hope:"Serax is used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, including anxiety associated with depression. This drug seems to be particularly effective for anxiety, tension, agitation, and irritability in older people. It is also prescribed to relieve symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawal. Serax belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. Serax can be habit-forming or addicting and can lose its effectiveness over time, as you develop a tolerance for it. You may experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop using the drug abruptly. When discontinuing the drug, your doctor will reduce the dose gradually. Take Serax exactly as prescribed. If you miss a dose and you remember within an hour or so, take the dose immediately. If you do not remember until later, skip the dose you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once"
http://support4hope.com/medications/anti_anxiety/oxazepam_serax.htm

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Contraindications while taking Oxazepam (Serax):redoakpsychiatry.com:"Contraindicated in psychotic persons. Caution should be used when driving or in hazardous occupations that require complete mental alertness. An increased risk of congenital malformation in the first trimester of pregnancy has been suggested in several studies of this type of drug. Do not use with alcohol. Use cautiously with other central nervous system depressants. As with other benzodiazepines, caution must be used in persons known to be addiction-prone or persons whose history suggests likelihood they might increase the dose on their own initiative. Consult a physician before abrupt discontinuation."
http://www.redoakpsychiatry.com/medications/Serax.html

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Warnings while taking Oxazepam (Serax):psyweb:"Narcotics may increase the sedative effects of this drug. Do not take other sedative, benzodiazepines, or sleeping pills with this drug. The combinations could be fatal. Do not drink alcohol when taking benzodiazepines. Alcohol can lower blood pressure and decrease your breathing rate to the point of unconsciousness. The habit-forming potential is high. It is possible to become dependent in only two weeks. This drugs should not be taken for more then four weeks ( Yudofsky, Hales and Ferguson . ) Do not stop taking this drug abruptly, this could cause psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms. Do not take this drug if you are pregnant. Do not take this drug if planning to become pregnant. Do not take if you are breast-feeding. Do not give this drug to anyone under the age six. Only use drug in small doses if over sixty with close monitoring."
http://www.psyweb.com/Drughtm/serax.html

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Oxazepam (Serax) general information and precautions:bipolar.about.com:"According to the FDA, animal tests showed Serax to be significantly safer in terms of toxicity than either Librium (chlordiazepoxide) or Valium (diazepam). These tests also showed that the common, therapeutic dosage is much lower than the amount needed to cause dangerous side effects. However, Serax should not be prescribed for patients with psychosis or any history of addictive behavior; those using it for alcohol withdrawal symptoms should be monitored closely during therapy. Because other drugs in this family have been shown to cause fetal abnormalities, it is recommended that this drug should not be taken during pregnancy, and a patient who becomes pregnant while taking Oxazepam should discuss the advisability of discontinuing it with her doctor. However, abrupt discontinuation of a benzodiazepine, especially after extended therapy, can cause mild to severe withdrawal effects. It is better to taper the dosage off gradually whenever possible, and better still to take the drug only for short-term therapy"
http://bipolar.about.com/library/meds/bl-meds-serax.htm

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Possible drug interactions while taking Oxazepam (Serax):health-center:"Remember, always follow your physician's recommendations on how to take your medication. Even if you are taking one of the following substances, continue taking your medication as prescribed and consult your physician. Also, if you are taking any herbal remedies, vitamins, and/or over-the-counter medications, be sure to tell your physician. The following section offers some, but not necessarily all, of the possible drug interactions. Do not take this medication with ethanol, cimetidine, or other CNS depressants. This combination can increase CNS depression. Be sure not to take other sedative, benzodiazepines, or sleeping pills with this drug. The combinations could be fatal. Do not smoke or drink alcohol when taking Serax. Alcohol can lower blood pressure and decrease your breathing rate to the point of unconsciousness. Tobacco and marijuana smoking can add to the sedative effects of Serax"
http://www2.health-center.com/pharmacy/antianxiety/serax.htm

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Short and long term effects of Oxazepam (Serax):BoozeAndDrugs:"Short Term Effects: Relaxed muscle tension, mildly impaired coordination and balance, reduced mental alertness and emotional reactions, feeling of well-being, and a loss of inhibition. On rare occasions paradoxical reactions such as rage, persoity changes, and sleep disturbances occur. Side effects such as skin rashes, nausea, and dizziness have been reported. Driving motor vehicles and operating machinery should be avoided by those taking tranquilizers. It is particularly hazardous to take them together with alcohol, other sedatives, antihistamines, or cold, cough and allergy remdies. (See synergism.) Long Term Effects: Some tranquilizers accumulate in body tissues during sustained use. Prolonged use may lead to increased aggressiveness in some users. Pregnant women should not use tranquilizers; diazepam has been found to accumulate in babies' liver, brain, heart and lungs. These babies may show withdrawal symptoms after birth"
http://www.boozeanddrugs.com/BoozeAnddrugs/serax.html

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Oxazepam (Serax) clinical pharmacology:hanhla2000:"Pharmacokinetic testing in twelve volunteers demonstrated that when given as a single 30 mg dose, the capsule, tablet, and suspension were equivalent in extent of absorption. For the capsule and tablet, peak plasma levels averaged 450 ng/mL and were observed to occur about 3 hours after dosing. The mean half-life for oxazepam was approximately 8.2 hours (range 5.7 to 10.9 hours). Studies in dogs for four weeks at 480 mg/kg daily showed no specific changes; at 960 mg/kg two out of eight died with evidence of circulatory collapse. Chronic toxicity studies of Serax in dogs at 120 mg/kg/day for 52 weeks produced no toxic manifestation. Fatty metamorphosis of the liver has been noted in six-week toxicity studies in rats given this product at 0.5% of the diet. An earlier published study reported that mice fed dietary dosages of 35 or 100 times the human daily dose of oxazepam for 9 months developed a dose-related increase in liver adenomas. In an independent analysis of some of the microscopic slides from this mouse study several of these tumors were classified as liver carcinomas. At this time, there is no evidence that clinical use of oxazepam is associated with tumors."
http://www.geocities.com/hanhla2000/serax_page.htm

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Oxazepam (Serax) other important information and precautions:4therapy.com:"Do not take Serax (oxazepam) if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, since this medication may worsen your condition. Before taking Serax (oxazepam), tell your prescribing doctor or therapist if you: have kidney disease have liver disease have asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or other respiratory disease are depressed or have suidical thoughts You may not be able to take this medication, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment, if you have any of these conditions. In addition to the information listed above, there may be other important issues or precautions related to this medication. For further information, you can ask your prescribing doctor or therapist"
http://www.4therapy.com/consumer/medications/item.php?uniqueid=131

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Overdose symptoms and treatment of Oxazepam (Serax):Robert Wood Johnson University hospital:"Home Treatment: Standard procedure is to induce emesis (vomiting) unless the patient is unconscious or experiencing convulsions. Before inducing emesis, contact Poison Control for verification. If instructed to induce emesis, standard procedure is as follows: Give the usual dose of ipecac syrup: 15 milliliter (ml) or 1 TABLEspoonful for children and 30 ml (2 TABLEspoonsful) for an adult. Follow with 1/2 glass or 4 ounces (oz.) of water for children or 8 to 12 oz. of water for adults. Repeat 1 more time in 1/2 hour if emesis has not occurred. Before Calling Emergency: Determine the following information: the patient’s age, weight, and condition the name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known) the time it was swallowed the amount swallowed if the medication was prescribed for the patient Call Poison Control: They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room."
http://www.rwjhamilton.org/Atoz/Encyclopedia/article/002546.asp

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Possible side effects of Oxazepam (Serax):rxlist:"The necessity for discontinuation of therapy due to undesirable effects has been rare. Transient, mild drowsiness is commonly seen in the first few days of therapy. If it persists, the dosage should be reduced. In few instances, dizziness, vertigo, headache, and rarely syncope have occurred either alone or together with drowsiness. Mild paradoxical reactions, i.e., excitement, stimulation of affect, have been reported in psychiatric patients; these reactions may be secondary to relief of anxiety and usually appear in the first two weeks of therapy. Other side effects occurring during oxazepam therapy include rare instances of minor diffuse skin rashes - morbilliform, urticarial, and maculopapular - nausea, lethargy, edema, slurred speech, tremor, and altered libido. Such side effects have been infrequent and are generally controlled with reduction of dosage. Although rare, leukopenia and hepatic dysfunction including jaundice have been reported during therapy. Periodic blood counts and liver-function tests are advisable."
http://rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/oxazepam_ad.htm



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