VALIUM (Brand for DIAZEPAM)

Diazepam 5mg, Oral tablet

Caffeine-containing Foods/Beverages

· Severity: Mild

· Notes for Consumers: If you are taking medicine to help you sleep, avoid taking Caffeine and Caffeine-containing foods or beverages like colas, coffee, teas, or chocolates within several hours prior to bedtime.

· Notes for Professionals: Patients taking benzodiazepines for insomnia should not use caffeine-containing products prior to going to bed as these products may antagonize the sedative effects of the benzodiazepine.

Diazepam 5mg, Oral tablet

Cannabis

· Severity: Major

· Notes for Consumers: Discuss cannabis use with your care team. The effects of your medication may be altered if used with cannabis. Call emergency services right away if you experience slow or shallow breathing, shortness of breath, feeling faint, dizziness, confusion, or trouble staying awake.

· Notes for Professionals: Advise patients to avoid cannabis use while taking CNS depressants due to the risk for additive CNS depression and potential for other cognitive adverse reactions.

Diazepam 5mg, Oral tablet

Alcohol

· Severity: Major

· Notes for Consumers: Do not drink alcohol while taking this medication. Drinking alcohol while taking this medication can cause serious side effects, such as central nervous system (CNS) depression, and can increase the risk of falling. Call emergency services right away if you experience symptoms of CNS depression: slow or shallow breathing, shortness of breath, feeling faint, dizziness, confusion, trouble staying awake.

· Notes for Professionals: Advise patients to avoid alcohol consumption while taking CNS depressants. Alcohol consumption may result in additive CNS depression.

Diazepam 5mg, Oral tablet

Grapefruit juice

· Severity: Major

· Notes for Consumers: Avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking diazepam, unless advised differently by your healthcare professional. Grapefruit juice may increase the level of diazepam in the blood. This may increase dizziness and drowsiness. Contact your health care provider promptly if you experience confusion, slurring of words, or excessive drowsiness while taking diazepam. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how diazepam affects you.

· Notes for Professionals: Orally-administered diazepam may interact with grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice has been shown to increase diazepam peak serum concentrations (Cmax) and exposure (AUC) by 1.5-fold and 3.2-fold, respectively, when diazepam was administered orally. Grapefruit juice contains furano-coumarins and certain flavonoids which may inhibit the CYP3A4 isozyme. Increased sedation or other CNS effects may be possible. To prevent this interaction, it would be prudent to avoid taking oral diazepam with grapefruit juice.

<b>DISCLAIMER:</b><em> This drug information content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Patients should always consult their physician with any questions regarding a medical condition and to obtain medical advice and treatment. Drug information is sourced from GSDD (Gold Standard Drug Database ) provided by Elsevier.</em>