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Valium
Alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasms, and seizures are a few of the conditions that can be treated with Valium, a prescription drug that works by enhancing the effects of a naturally-calming chemical in the brain. The medication comes in the form of tablets, an oral liquid, and an injection. Side effects of Valium may include fatigue, drowsiness, and coordination problems.
Valium® (diazepam) is a prescription medication that is used to treat the following conditions:
(Click Valium Uses for more information on what the drug is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
Valium is currently made by Roche Products, Inc.
Valium is part of a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. These medicines have several effects on the body, including:
- Reducing anxiety
- Causing sleepiness
- Relaxing muscles
- Stopping seizures
- Impairing short-term memory.
All medicines in this category can have these effects to some degree, depending on the specific benzodiazepine that is being taken. They work in the brain by enhancing the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that is naturally calming. GABA can slow down or stop certain nerve signals in the brain. This is why Valium and other benzodiazepines are known as mild tranquilizers, sedatives, or central nervous system depressants (CNS depressants).
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD