410 Temazepam
injection can also cause skin rash, swelling from fluid buildup, muscle dam-
age, and kidney failure. Intravenous injection of oral temazepam can be fatal
due to tablet ingredients not intended to circulate in the bloodstream. Some
abusers inject the oral gel format into the groin; this practice can form leg
blood clots that may dislodge and travel to the lung, where they can halt
breathing.
Abuse factors.Investigators found no “significant” dependence after giving
temazepam to persons for three months. Examination of patients on long-term
temazepam dosage revealed no tolerance, and in one study temazepam re-
tained its antiinsomnia effectiveness when given to a group of volunteers each
night for over a month; they did not develop tolerance. A study involving a
second group did show tolerance developing, findings supported in still more
experimentation as well. The first group did not experience rebound when
dosage stopped (insomnia did not come back), but experimenters working
with a third group were sometimes able to provoke a rebound, which they
interpreted as evidence that temazepam is addictive—although not everyone
would agree that return of an ailment upon stoppage of medication means
that the medicine is addictive. Nonetheless, a case of addiction is reported in
which someone regularly used temazepam before drinkingalcoholand also
to reduce tremors.
A report published in 1990 noted that in northwest England about 25% of
persons engaged in AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) risk con-
duct were using temazepam. This does not mean the drug promotes such
conduct, but it does mean the drug was popular among reckless persons. Such
popularity may have been due to pharmaceutical effects, or due to availability,
or due simply to fashionability, or perhaps a combination of all. In Scotland
as the twenty-first century began, researchers found temazepam abuse to be
the third-largest cause (after alcohol andheroin) of muscle damage leading
to kidney failure and limb amputation.
Drug interactions.Researchers have seen that a dose of temazepam lasts
longer in women than in men. Birth control pills may reduce the amount of
time that temazepam stays in the body. Disulfiram, a drug used to treat al-
coholism, can turn a medicinal dose of temazepam into a poisonous one.
Cancer.Tests on animals do not reveal potential for causing cancer.
Pregnancy.High-enough dosage during pregnancy has caused rib malfor-
mations in offspring of rats and rabbits. Temazepam is believed to pass from
a pregnant woman into the fetus. Taking the drug together with diphenhy-
dramine hydrochloride (found in many cold and allergy remedies) is followed
by a stillbirth and newborn death rate of 80% in rabbits, and a human case is
reported. The drug passes into the milk of nursing mothers. A case report
noted no effect on a nursing infant.
Additional scientific information may be found in:Ferrer, C.F., Jr., R.U. Bisson, and J. French. “Circadian Rhythm Desynchronosis in Mil-
itary Deployments: A Review of Current Strategies.”Aviation, Space, and Envi-
ronmental Medicine66 (1995): 571–78.
Fox, R., et al. “Misuse of Temazepam: 1.”British Medical Journal305 (1992): 253.
Fraschini, F., and B. Stankov. “Temazepam: Pharmacological Profile of a Benzodiaze-