The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Chlordiazepoxide (brand name Librium) is a member of the BENZODIAZEPINE family of drugs currently used to treat insomnia, anxiety, muscle spasms, and some forms of epilepsy. It was the first benzodiazepine to be used in clinical practice in the 1960s, as an alternative to PHENOBARBITAL or MEPROBAMATE, in treating psychoneuroses, anxiety, and tension. Its advantage over BARBITURATES and other central nervous system depressants is that it is less toxic, especially after an overdose.
In addition to the previously mentioned uses, chlordiazepoxide is frequently used to treat the seizures or DELIRIUM TREMENS (DTs) that appear during alcohol withdrawal. In the late 1990s, Dr. Michael Mayo-Smith conducted a meta-analysis to determine if benzodiazepines effectively prevent delirium in patients experiencing DTs. Although benzodiazepines were shown to be effective, this study was not conclusive since chlordiazepoxide was the only benzodiazepine tested, and further testing is needed on other benzodiazepines before an overall claim can be made (Johnson et al., 1997).
JOHNSON, J. R., ET AL. (1997). Pharmacologic treatment of alcohol withdrawal. JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 1317-1319.
CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE AND CLIDINIUM (2000). USP DI Volume II Advice for the Patient: Drug Information in Lay Language, 93.