Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0012833 (dizziness)
 9,689 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In a double-blind cross-over study the effects of propranolol (80 mg) and of lorazepam (1 or 2.5 mg) were assessed in normal student volunteers using a number of performance tests and mood-rating and bodily symptom questionnaires. Drug effects on experimentally-induced anxiety were also studied. The high dose of lorazepam impaired performance in digit-symbol substitution, symbol copying and verbal learning tests, and increased subjects' ratings of dizziness. Both lorazepam and propranolol increased simple reaction time. Lorazepam but not propranolol increased ratings of sedation. Although the stressor increased subjects' ratings of anxiety, neither drug altered anxiety ratings. Propranolol decreased and lorazepam increased subjects' pulse. These changes were not reflected in subjects' self-ratings - lorazepam caused a reduction in ratings of palpitations. The results suggest that if administered acutely, neither drug is beneficial in the treatment of short-term anxiety associated with intellectual stress.
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PMID:A comparison of the effects of lorazepam with those of propranolol on experimentally-induced anxiety and performance. 388 41

Lorazepam (Ativan), is a benzodiazepine frequently used to manage anxiety, presurgically, and as a sedative. Common side effects include sedation, dizziness, weakness, unsteadiness, and disorientation. Consequently, lorazepam can have a significant effect on driving ability. We reviewed all positive lorazepam drug-impaired driving cases submitted to the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory between January 1998 and December 2003. The mean concentration found in the blood of these drivers (n = 170) was 0.048 mg/L (std. dev. = 0.06, median = 0.03). Concentrations ranged from < 0.005 to 0.39 mg/L. Eighty-six percent of these drivers tested positive for other drugs in addition to lorazepam that may have contributed to their impairment. There were 23 cases in which lorazepam was the only drug detected. The mean concentration found in the blood of these drivers was 0.051 mg/L (median = 0.03, range < 0.01-0.38). This population was 56% male, with a mean age of 39.5 years, (range 16-72). We obtained Drug Recognition Expert reports containing details of events surrounding arrest and performance on field sobriety tests for 10 of the remaining cases in which no drugs other than lorazepam were present. Lorazepam concentrations in these cases averaged 0.050 mg/L (median = 0.04, range 0.01-0.13 mg/L). This review of these subjects indicates that lorazepam is capable of causing significant impairment to driving and psychomotor abilities, independent of the concentration detected.
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PMID:Lorazepam and driving impairment. 1551 98