TranquilizersTranquilizers

By: Farah HallBy: Farah Hall

Tranquilizers are used to Tranquilizers are used to treat:treat:

• Problems with sleepProblems with sleep

• anxietyanxiety

Commonly prescribed Commonly prescribed Tranquilizers are:Tranquilizers are:

• AtivanAtivan

• ValiumValium

• Librium Librium

• XanaxXanax

The benefits and risksThe benefits and risks

• Benefits:Benefits:• Treats severe Treats severe

mental illnessesmental illnesses• Treat panic attacksTreat panic attacks• Treat anxiety and Treat anxiety and

tensiontension• And treats And treats

insomniainsomnia

• Risks:Risks:• Increase anxiety Increase anxiety

and agitationand agitation• Cause significant Cause significant

depressiondepression• Associate with Associate with

memory problems memory problems and cerebral and cerebral atrophy (brain atrophy (brain shrinkage)shrinkage)

Common Side Effects:Common Side Effects:

• Feeling of calm and relaxationFeeling of calm and relaxation• DrowsinessDrowsiness• DizzinessDizziness• Decrease motivationDecrease motivation• IrritabilityIrritability• NauseaNausea• HeadachesHeadaches• TremorsTremors• Loss or increase of appetiteLoss or increase of appetite

Interactions with other Interactions with other medications:medications:

*You wouldn’t want to take any *You wouldn’t want to take any other medications that will other medications that will

worsening the act on the central worsening the act on the central nervous system, or may induce nervous system, or may induce

sleep or anxiety.sleep or anxiety.

How is tranquilizers given??How is tranquilizers given??

• Swallowed orSwallowed or

• InjectedInjected

Five rights of medication Five rights of medication administration:administration:

• 1.Right patient1.Right patient

• 2.Right time2.Right time

• 3.Right dosage3.Right dosage

• 4.Right drug4.Right drug

• 5.Right route of administration5.Right route of administration

• 6.Right documentation6.Right documentation

Interesting facts !!!Interesting facts !!!

• Tranquilizers can become an Tranquilizers can become an addictionaddiction

• If pregnant women take tranquilizers, If pregnant women take tranquilizers, it’s a higher risk that the fetus will it’s a higher risk that the fetus will have birth defectshave birth defects

• Tranquilizers can be linked to “date Tranquilizers can be linked to “date rape”rape”

Sources:Sources:

• http://www.egetgoing.com/drug_rehahttp://www.egetgoing.com/drug_rehab/tranquilizers.aspb/tranquilizers.asp

• http://www.recoveryroadmap.com/Drhttp://www.recoveryroadmap.com/DrugInfo/FA-Tranquilizers.htmlugInfo/FA-Tranquilizers.html

• http://www.texaspolicecentral.com/trhttp://www.texaspolicecentral.com/tranquilizers.htmlanquilizers.html