Benzodiazepines are the most commonly prescribed drugs for fighting anxiety. While different benzodiazepines might have unique properties, they have more similarities than differences. A benzodiazepine equivalency chart helps you determine how strong different benzos are compared to one another.
Why Bother Learning Benzodiazepine Equivalency?
Everyone responds differently to drugs. As such, not everybody is going to get the same benefits from different benzos.
Xanax might work great for one patient, but somebody else might find that it is too sedating. If you want to find an equivalent dose of a different benzodiazepine, an equivalency chart will be your friend.
This way, you can figure out the best dose of a new benzodiazepine before you even try it. In most cases, your doctor will easily be able to find this out for you. However, for the purpose of harm reduction, it is still a good idea to keep such a chart on hand.
Common Benzodiazepine Equivalency Info
Most benzos are compared in strength and duration to diazepam (Valium), often considered the benchmark benzo. The standard dose of diazepam is 10mg, making an easy comparison. The half-life – the time it takes for half the dose to leave your body- is between 20-100 hours.
The following info shows the benzodiazepine equivalency in comparison to 10mg diazepam.
- Alprazolam (Xanax, Xanor) has a half-life of 6-12 hours and the equivalent dose is 0.5 mg.
- Bromazepam (Lexotan) has a half-life of 10-20 hours and the equivalent dose is 5-6 mg.
- Chloridiazepoxide (Librium) has a half-life of 5-30 hours and the equivalent dose is 25 mg.
- Clobazam (Frisium) has a half-life of 12-60 hours and the equivalent dose is 20 mg.
- Clonazepam (Klonopin) has a half-life of 18-50 hours and the equivalent dose is 0.5 mg.
- Clorazepate (Tranxene) has a half-life of 36-200 hours and the equivalent dose is 15 mg.
- Estazolam (ProSom) has a half-life of 10-24 hours and the equivalent dose is 1-2 mg.
- Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) has a half-life of 18-26 hours and the equivalent dose is 1 mg,
- Flurazepam (Dalmane) has a half-life of 40-250 hours and the equivalent dose is is 15-30 mg.
- Ketazolam (Anxon) has a half-life of 30-100 hours and the equivalent dose is is 15-30 mg.
- Loprazolam (Dormonoct) has a half-life of 6-12 hours and the equivalent dose is 1-2 mg.
- Lorazepam (Ativan) has a half-life of 10-20 hours and the equivalent dose is 1 mg.
- Medazepam (Nobrium) has a half-life of 36-200 hours and the equivalent dose is 10 mg.
- Nitrazepam (Mogadon) has a half-life of 15-38 hours and the equivalent dose is 10 mg.
- Temazepam (Restoril) has a half-life of 8-22 mg and the equivalent dose is 20 mg.
- Triazolam (Halcion) has a half-life of 2 hours and the equivalent dose is 0.5 mg.
- Zolpidem (Ambien) and Zaleplon (Sonata) are benzodiazepine-like drugs. They both have a half-life of 2 hours with equivalent dosages of 20 mg.
While this info shows you equivalent benzo doses, remember that the effects aren’t always the same.
Conclusion
There are many different benzodiazepines. Therefore it can take time to find one best suited to you. Learning about different benzos is important, and your doctor can help you here. Above all, you can improve your search by using a benzodiazepine equivalency chart.
