Flunitrazepam precautions

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor-in-chief: Soumya Sachdeva

Overview

Flunitrazepam/Rohypnol is a prescription drug - the only sedative that has been used in many date rapes in the US. Rohypnol's medical use is a preoperation anesthetic or strong sleeping pill, but stronger doses can bring on amnesia. It takes effect very quickly - sometimes as quick as 10 minutes after taken - and reaches its peak eight hours later when it can render a patient totally unconscious. Rohypnol comes as a pill that can diissolve in liquids. Some are round , small and white. Newer pills are oval and green-grey in colour. When slipped into a drink , a dye in these new pills makes clear liquids turn blue and the dark drinks turn cloudy. But this colour change might br hard to see in a dark drink, or in a dark room.Also the pills with no dye are available. these pills may be grounded up into a powder.

Warning/precautions

Flunitrazepam should be used with caution in patients with respiratory disease, muscle weakness, history of drug or alcohol abuse, marked personality disorder; avoid regular use during pregnancy (risk of neonatal withdrawl symptoms); use only if clear indication such as seizure control (high doses during late pregnancy or labour may cause neonatal hypothermia, hypotonia and respiratory depression); breast-feeding (present in milk, avoid if possible); reduce dose in elderly and debilitated, and in hepatic (avoid if severe) and renal impairment (start with small doses if severe); avoid prolong use (abrupt withdrawl thereafter); porphyria. It should not be used alone to treat depression (or anxiety associated with depression) or psychosis