LEXATIN (BROMAZEPAM): WHAT IT IS FOR, DOSAGE, SIDE EFFECTS - NEUROPSYCHOLOGY - 2024

The Lexatin is an anxiolytic drug whose active ingredient is bromazepam and belonging to the group of drugs called benzodiazepines. This medicine is often used to treat symptoms of anxiety, tension, nervousness, and agitation. Likewise, it can be used in mood alterations or to intervene sleeping problems.

On the other hand, clinical data on lexatin have shown that it is a useful drug to alleviate physical symptoms such as heart rhythm disturbances, breathing problems or digestive disorders associated with anxiety states.

In general, treatment with lexatin is usually short-lived. Both its prescription and administration must be carried out by a medical professional, since its marketing without a prescription is prohibited.

Lexatin characteristics

Lexatin is the trademark under which bromazepam is marketed. Bromazepam is an active substance that acts in the brain regions as anxiolytics.

Lexatin is an anxiolytic drug that is used mainly to treat problems and disorders related to anxiety, tension and agitation. Specifically, it is included within the drugs known as benzodiazepines, the group of anxiolytic drugs most used today.

Among the benzodiazepines, lexatin is considered a mild drug. It is one of the less strong anxiolytic medications and is a good therapeutic option to treat mild anxiety disorders.

This medicine acts on the central nervous system as a muscle relaxant, as an anxiolytic and as a sedative if higher doses are used. It is a suitable drug to increase relaxation, help to fall asleep and cope with situations of tension, agitation and depression among others.

What is lexatin for?

Despite the fact that the administration of lexatin produces an increase in the inhibition of the central nervous system, this drug is not indicated to treat any type of condition related to anxiety or agitation.

Clinical studies have shown that lexatin is an effective drug for treating illnesses with symptoms such as anxiety, distress, obsessions, compulsions, phobias, and hypochondria. Likewise, it is a useful medicine to intervene exaggerated emotional reactions that arise from conflictive and stressful situations.

In turn, lexatin may be a good therapeutic option to treat states in which interpersonal contact and communication difficulties, conduct disorders or aggressiveness are connoted.

On the other hand, several investigations have shown its suitability for the treatment of organoenuroses and, in general, all somatizations caused by psychic arousal.

Finally, certain clinical trials have shown that lexatin can be a very good complement to psychotherapy when it comes to intervening disorders related to anxiety, agitation, stress or tension.

It should be noted that lexatin is a low potency anxiolytic drug. For this reason, it is a very good option to treat mild anxiety problems, but it can be an ineffective drug to intervene more severe disorders.

How does lexatin work?

Lexatin is a drug that is consumed orally through capsules. When ingested, the active substance of the medicine enters the blood and travels through it to the brain regions.

When the active principle of the drug enters the central nervous system, it has sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, amnesic and muscle relaxant effects in the brain. More specifically, lexatin acts as a depressant agent on the nervous system, especially on the limbic system.

The brain has specific receptors for lexatin known as the gamma-aminobutyric acid complex (GABA). When the active principle of the drug reaches the brain, it attaches to these receptors and modifies their functioning.

GABA is a neurotransmitter that performs inhibitory actions on the brain. When these substances do not act properly, the excitement of the brain increases, which can cause symptoms of agitation or anxiety and decrease relaxation.

In this way, lexatin binds to GABA receptors in order to increase their activity. By increasing GABA activity, brain inhibition increases, a fact that allows you to combat anxiety or tension symptoms.

The increase in GABA inhibition causes global effects at the brain level. For this reason, lexatin not only acts as an anxiolytic, but also has sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, amnesic and muscle relaxant effects.

Contraindications

Lexatin has a number of contraindications. When the subject meets a series of specific characteristics or situations, treatment with this drug is completely discouraged.

The use of lexatin is contraindicated in subjects who:

1. They are allergic to bromazepam.
2. They suffer from chronic breathing difficulties.
3. Suffer from severe liver disorders
4. They suffer from mythenia gravies.
5. They have sleep apnea.
6. They use alcohol or drugs frequently.

On the other hand, the consumption of lexatin in the moments prior to driving a vehicle or operation with heavy machinery is discouraged, especially if it is to be carried out for long periods of time.

The use of lexatin can cause drowsiness, decreased alertness and inhibition of mental abilities, a fact that can be dangerous at these times.

Likewise, the use of this drug is discouraged during pregnancy and lactation periods, without prior consultation with the doctor.

Presentation and dosage

Lexatin is usually marketed in 1.5 milligram capsules, which is why the drug is often listed under the nomenclature 'Lexatin 1.5' or 'Lexatin 1.5 mg'.

The person in charge of determining the dose of lexatin to consume should always be a medical professional. However, the drug itself indicates that the maximum daily dose of lexatin should not exceed 4-12 milligrams.

The dose of lexatin can be divided into two or three daily doses, and it is important not to double the dose of one dose if the previous one has been forgotten, since the inhibitory effect of an excess dose of the drug can be detrimental.

Finally, it is convenient to consume lexatin capsules between 30 and 60 minutes after meals.

Warnings and precautions for use

When using lexatin, a series of conditions linked to the effects of the drug and the consumption characteristics that are carried out must be taken into account. The most important elements to take into account are:

Amnesia

Benzodiazepines in general and lexatin in particular can induce anterograde amnesia. This alliteration implies the inability to retain and remember aspects that occur after taking the drug.

Anterograde amnesia does not usually occur immediately but usually occurs several hours after taking the drug. For this reason, it is advisable to take the medicine before going to sleep, to be able to rest for several hours after taking lexatin.

Psychiatric and paradoxical reactions

Sometimes, the consumption of lexatin can produce effects that are totally opposite to those desired, producing symptoms such as restlessness, agitation, irritability, fits of anger, hallucinations or inappropriate behavior.

In cases where such effects are known, it is highly important to interrupt treatment. These effects are especially frequent in the pediatric population and in subjects over 65 years of age.

Treatment duration

It is desirable that the duration of treatment is as short as possible and does not exceed two weeks.

It is important to be aware of these aspects at the beginning of treatment and to specify the progressive dose reduction procedure from the first moments of consumption.

Use of alcohol

During the use of lexatin, the concomitant use of alcohol and other substances that depress the central nervous system should be avoided.

Ingesting another depressant substance together with lexatin can increase the effects of the drug causing intense sedation, and respiratory and / or cardiovascular depression, a fact that can be very dangerous for the health of the individual.

Tolerance

When lexatin is used for a long time, its effects may diminish. This factor is explained through the tolerance generated by the individual, that is, it gets used to working with the intake of the drug, which has fewer and fewer effects at the physical and mental level.

Special patient groups

In general, the administration of lexatin in children and adolescents is not recommended. This drug should only be administered to persons under 18 years of age after a careful assessment of the need for treatment has been performed. Likewise, the minimum duration of intervention must be applied.

On the other hand, elderly patients (over 65 years) should receive lower doses than the rest of the adult population.

It is also advisable to reduce the treatment doses in subjects with chronic respiratory failure due to the risk that the drug causes respiratory depression.

Lexatin is not an indicated drug for the treatment of people with severe liver failure as it can trigger encephalopathy. Likewise, it is not a first-line treatment for subjects with psychotic disorder.

Finally, lexatin should not be used as the sole treatment in the intervention of subjects with depressive disorders or with anxiety associated with mood disturbances. In these cases, the use of lexatin must be accompanied by an antidepressant drug.

Dependence

Although it is not a very addictive drug, the use of lexatin can lead to the development of physical and mental dependence. The risk of dependence increases with the doses and the duration of treatment, so it is important that these are as low as possible.

Likewise, the risk of dependence and addiction increases in subjects with a history of drug addiction or alcoholism, so the use of lexatin in this population must be done carefully.

Adverse effects

Adverse effects do not occur in all cases, however, the consumption of lexatin can generate any of the following conditions:

1. Anaphylactic shock.
2. Confusion.
3. Emotional disturbance
4. Libido disorders.
5. Drug dependence and abuse.
6. Abstinence syndrome.
7. Depression.
8. Paradoxical reactions: restlessness, agitation, irritability, aggressiveness, delirium, hallucinations, nightmares, etc.
9. Anterograde amnesia.
10. Reduced alertness.
11. Diploia.
12. Heart failure.
13. Respiratory depression
14. Nausea, vomiting, and constipation.
15. Skin rash, pruritus and hives.
16. Muscular weakness.
17. Urinary retention.
18. Falls and fractures.

References

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2. Bromazepam, a new anxiolytic: a comparative study with diazepam in general practice. Royal College of General Practitioners Medicines Surveillance Organization ”. JR Coll Gen Pract. 34 (266): 509–12. September 1984.
3. Bromazepam '. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Australian Government - Department of Health. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
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5. Puga F, Sampaio I, Veiga H, et al. (December 2007). »The effects of bromazepam on the early stage of visual information processing (P100)». Arq Neuropsychiatr. 65 (4A): 955–9.
6. Vademecum: Lexatin.