Description
Temazepam 20 mg
Temazepam is a benzodiazepine hypnotic used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. It is a controlled prescription medicine with known risks of dependence, withdrawal, and dangerous sedation, especially when combined with other central nervous system depressants.
Active Ingredient and Medicine Class
The verified active ingredient is temazepam. It belongs to the benzodiazepine class of medicines and acts as a sedative-hypnotic. Temazepam is also described in the medical literature as a gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA-A) receptor positive allosteric modulator.
Established Medical Uses
Official labeling identifies temazepam for the short-term management of insomnia. Published reviews describe benefit mainly for sleep maintenance and total sleep time, with some evidence of reduced sleep latency in clinical use, though effects may vary by study design and patient group.
How It Works
Temazepam enhances the calming effects of GABA, the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter. By increasing GABA-A receptor activity, it reduces neuronal excitability and produces sedation, which can help with sleep.
Important Safety Information
Temazepam carries a boxed warning for abuse, misuse, addiction, dependence, and withdrawal reactions. The label also warns that combining benzodiazepines with opioids can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Other important precautions include impaired alertness and coordination, additive effects with alcohol and other sedatives, and the need for caution in people with respiratory compromise or a history of substance misuse.
Temazepam is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to temazepam or other benzodiazepines, and in those with acute narrow-angle glaucoma.
Possible Side Effects
Common adverse effects include drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, and next-day impairment. More serious reactions can include confusion, abnormal behavior, respiratory depression, falls, and withdrawal symptoms if the medicine is stopped after regular use.
Scientific Evidence
Peer-reviewed reviews of temazepam report hypnotic efficacy, particularly for sleep maintenance, and note that it has a relatively short half-life with fewer daytime residual effects than some longer-acting benzodiazepines. However, the literature also emphasizes limitations in evidence quality and the risk of residual psychomotor impairment at higher exposure.
Medical Information Notice
This page is an educational summary based on sources available at the time of review and does not replace the official patient leaflet, product label, or assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Medical Sources
- DailyMed / U.S. National Library of Medicine: Temazepam capsule prescribing information. View source
- Heel RC, Brogden RN, Speight TM, Avery GS: “Temazepam: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy as an hypnotic.” Drugs (1981). PubMed