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About tranquillisers & sleeping pills (benzodiazepines)
Benzodiazepines are a class of drug commonly known as tranquillisers and sleeping pills. Benzodiazepines are available on prescription only in Australia, and are mainly used for problems relating to anxiety and sleep.
Approximately 10 million scripts are written annually in Australia. Apart from a fall in prescribing in the early 1990s, prescribing rates have remained fairly constant, with a slight increase in the last few years.
It is estimated that one in 50 Australians are currently taking a benzodiazepine and have been taking the drug for longer than 6 months.
Women are prescribed benzodiazepines at twice the rate as for men, and older people (over 65) receive most of the benzodiazepine scripts for sleeping problems.
The most common benzodiazepines prescribed in Australia are Temazepam, Diazepam, Alprazolam and Oxazepam.
The following is a list of oral benzodiazepines available in Australia. Benzodiazepines are often produced by different drug companies and there may be different trade names for the same drug.
Long Acting
|
|
| Generic Name |
Trade Name |
| Diazepam |
Valium |
|
Ducene |
|
Antenex |
|
Diazepam Elixir |
|
Diazepam –DP |
|
GENRX Diazepam |
|
Valpam |
| Clonazepam |
Rivotril |
| Flunitrazepam |
Hypnodorm |
|
Rohypnol |
| Nitrazepam |
Mogadon |
|
Alodorm |
| Clobazam |
Frisium |
|
|
Short Acting
|
|
| Generic Name |
Trade Name |
| Alprazolam |
Xanax |
|
Kalma |
|
Alprax |
|
Alprazolam |
|
Alprazolam –DP |
| |
GENRX |
|
Zamhexal |
| Temazepam |
Normison |
|
Temaze |
|
Temtabs |
| Oxazepam |
Serepax |
|
Murelax |
|
Alepam |
| Lorazepam |
Ativan |
| Bromazepam |
Lexotan |
| Triazolam |
Halcion | | 
