ISSN:
1432-1041
Keywords:
Halazepam
;
gait
;
manual dexterity
;
motor coordination
;
geriatry
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Two doses of halazepam, 20 and 40 mg, were compared to diazepam 5 mg and placebo in this double-blind, parallel experiment. The medications were administered thrice daily during the first 3 days, and twice daily during the following 11 days. Their effects were measured on the tandem walk and manual dexterity of 59 elderly female subjects. Most volunteers had some walking difficulty prior to the study and 21 suffered from some illness. With the higher dose of halazepam a statistically and clinically significant impairment of motor coordination was observed. Halazepam 40 mg, at the regimen above mentioned, should therefore not be used in elderly persons. This is substantiated by the results on all pertinent variables: tandem walk, manual dexterity, side effects and compliance to the drug regimen; indeed only 5 subjects out of 15 could tolerate halazepam 40 mg twice daily. With the manual dexterity test, significant effects of diazepam 5 mg and halazepam 20 mg were also observed. Furthermore, this test as well as the analysis of the side effects, shows that the lower dose of halazepam is well tolerated when compared to diazepam 5 mg.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00562936
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