Midazolam vs Diazepam

[tcripp]

Refer to this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12410871

Can't say I learned of this while in school or out and found it very intriguing. What about the you?

Also, anyone heard anything like this regarding use in adults?

[paramedicmike]

Heard anything like what? What is it about the linked study that's intriguing to you? What didn't you learn in school?

They're both the same class of drug so I would expect that they'd both work, at least on some level, to break seizure activity and depress one's respiratory drive.

[Arctickat]

We switched to midaz a few years back because it's shorter acting.

[island emt]

We also have Midazolam.

That is unless your supply hospital is having shortages, in which case you might get Diazepam which has been approved as a direct replacement.

[tcripp]

Heard anything like what? What is it about the linked study that's intriguing to you? What didn't you learn in school?

They're both the same class of drug so I would expect that they'd both work, at least on some level, to break seizure activity and depress one's respiratory drive.

Mike, my apologies. I guess I figured you all would click on the link, read the short page, skip down to the conclusion and automatically know that I was talking about the part where while they are both equal in effectiveness, midazolam reduces respiratory depression and time to treatment. That's what I get for posting while tired.

Hopefully this will now open this up for some meaningful dialogue.

Toni

[croaker260]

Old news I am afraid. This was one of the research studies w used to justify the switch to intra-nasal Versed in 2005. Additionally, because we dont have Valium (national shortage for almost a year......WTF?)we have been useing it for adults as well. Hell I even used 1 mg of Versed with 7.5 of Morphine (both IV of course) for sciatica the other day with good results.

Edited August 13, 2012 by croaker260

[island emt]

The drug shortages are getting a little ridiculous , We have Fentanyl for extremity pain , but it's in short supply so they offer MS as a replacement, But it's in short supply, so they now allow nubain if neither of the above are available. add midazolam , Epi, and a host of other drugs that are on the revolving availability list. Even if they are available , they might be of a different strength or dosage level or in a different type of packaging,ie vial,ampule, or bulk multidose packaging. We used to get the majority of our drugs in pre-fill single use packaging. No any more.

Sure is fun lately.

[paramedicmike]

Thanks for the clarification!

No service I've worked for since 2004 or so has carried valium. We've either had versed, ativan or both.

I do like a fentanyl/versed mix for sedation. My medical directors have preferred ativan over versed for seizures.

[tcripp]

The 911-service carried both; diazepam if you could get a line and versed IM if you couldn't. (As mentioned before, we didn't have IN in our protocols.)

It was the respiratory thing that caught my attention. Still looking to see if there were any tests in adults in that area...

[HarryM]

No service I've worked for since 2004 or so has carried valium. We've either had versed, ativan or both.

I do like a fentanyl/versed mix for sedation. My medical directors have preferred ativan over versed for seizures.

Similar thing. We only have midazolam. Use it for serizures, sedation and pain relief. We also carry morphine, fentanyl and ketamine for pain relief and an opiate/benzo combo works wonders.