Dormicum® is a medicine causing sleep. It is also used as a medicine for pain relief during medical interventions or in the case of seizures. Dormicum® contains the active ingredient midazolam and thus belongs to the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines. It can be administered by mouth (oral), by bypassing the gastrointestinal tract (parenterally), for example intravenously, or as a dissolving tablet in the oral cavity – more precisely in the cheek – (buccally).
Trade names
Dormicum® is commercially available as: chemical name: midazolam (8-chloro-6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-4H-imidazole(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine
- Dormicum® 5mg/1mg/-15mg/3ml/-50mg/10ml injection solution
- Midazolam HEXAL® -5mg/5ml-5mg/1ml-15mg/3ml injection solution
- Midazolam-Actavis® 1mg/ml-2mg/ml -5mg/ml Injection/Infusion solution or rectal solution
Application areas
Dormicum® is used for immobilization during or before medical interventions, in intensive care units for long-term sedation of patients on artificial respiration, for pain relief and for the induction of anesthesia in adults. Dormicum® is a drug that prepares patients for anesthesia and is known as premedication. In children, Dormicum® is used as an anesthetic drug itself and not only to induce anesthesia.
Furthermore, Dormicum® can be used as an antispasmodic drug in infants, children and adolescents up to the age of 18. Dormicum® is also one of the emergency drugs for use in the event of a very severe epileptic seizure (status epilepticus). Dormicum® can be taken by mouth (orally) in the form of a tablet to be swallowed or as a lozenge/dissolving tablet in the oral cavity, more precisely in the cheek (buccal). Dormicum® can also be injected into the muscle by means of a syringe (intramuscularly), as well as in the form of an infusion through the vein or as a rectal solution bypassing the gastrointestinal tract.
Effects
Dormicum® belongs to the large group of benzodiazepines as a sedative and hypnotic. The benzodiazepines all have an inhibitory effect on the nerve cells of the central nervous system (CNS). This inhibitory property is produced by a neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is produced by the body.
GABA is the most important inhibitory messenger within the central nervous system. By binding the benzodiazepines, in this case Dormicum®, to the GABA docking site on the nerve cell (receptors), the inhibitory effect is enhanced. This is done by opening channels in the nerve cell, which consequently allow more negatively charged chloride to flow into the nerve cell, thus reducing the excitability of the nerve cell.
In this way, Dormicum® has antispasmodic (anticonvulsive), muscle relaxing (muscle relaxant), anxiety-relieving (anxiolytic), sleep-inducing (hypnotic) and calming (sedative) effects. In addition, memory gaps may occur during the period of action of Dormicum® (anamnestic effect). Mood-lifting and euphoric effects have also been observed.
Dormicum® is a short-acting benzodiazepine with a plasma half-life of about 240 minutes, i.e. the time it takes for the drug to fall from its maximum concentration to half of this maximum concentration in the blood. After absorption, Dormicum® is metabolized by the liver (more precisely by the CYP3A4 enzyme) and then eliminated by the kidney. If excessive amounts of Dromicum® are ingested or poisoned by the drug, the effect can be reversed by an antidote called flumazenil.
When taking a Dormicum® (Midazolam) film coated tablet, the tablet should be taken unchewed and with sufficient liquid (preferably water). The optimal dose of Dormicum® varies from patient to patient and depends on the patient’s general condition and age. Additional medications taken by the patient and the reason for use also play an important role.
Caution is particularly important in elderly patients and children, as well as chronically ill patients and patients with the following underlying diseases: schizophrenia, cardiac insufficiency (heart failure), liver dysfunction, kidney dysfunction and respiratory disorders. There are numerous side effects that can occur when taking Dormicum®. However, these vary according to the dosage form and can be observed with varying frequency.
In addition to hypersensitivity reactions to the drug, Dormicum® film coated tablets can also cause psychological disorders (e.g. confusion, reversal of action (paradoxical reaction), depressive moods, euphoria) and nervous system disorders such as: :. In addition, side effects such as visual disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease and breathing problems have been observed. The most common side effects of parenteral administration of Dormicum® (midazolam) are respiratory irregularities with a decrease in respiratory volume and/or a decrease in respiratory frequency (decrease in respiratory rate) and even respiratory arrest (apnea).
These respiratory side effects are more common when Dormicum® is administered via the vein (intravenously) than via the muscles (intramuscularly). In addition, blood pressure fluctuations and pulse irregularities are among the most common side effects that can occur when Dormicum® is administered intravenously. Anterograde amnesia, i.e. the patchy memory after taking the drug, is a very frequently observed side effect with any form of administration. Finally, respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest (in very high doses) are the most serious side effects.
- Headaches
- Swindle
- Dizziness
- Gait and movement disorders
- Gaps in memory (amnesia)
