In addition, the effectiveness and safety of long-term use of sedative hypnotics has been determined to be no better than placebo after 3 months of therapy and worse than placebo after 6 months of therapy. Pharmacology
Flurazepam is a "classical" benzodiazepine; some other classical benzodiazepines include diazepam, clonazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam, bromazepam, and clorazepate. Flurazepam generates an active metabolite, N-desalkylflurazepam, with a very long elimination half-life. Flurazepam could be therefore unsuitable as a sleeping medication for some individuals due to next-day sedation; however, this same effect may also provide next-day anxiety relief. Residual hangover effects after nighttime administration of flurazepam, such as sleepiness, impaired psychomotor and cognitive functions, may persist into the next day, which may impair the ability of users to drive safely and increase risks of falls and hip fractures.Flurazepam is lipophilic, is metabolized hepatically via oxidative pathways. The main pharmacological effect of flurazepam is to increase the effect of GABA at the GABAA receptor via binding to the benzodiazepine site on the GABAA receptor causing an increase influx of chloride ions into the GABAA neuron.Flurazepam is contraindicated in pregnancy. It is recommended to withdraw flurazepam during breast feeding, as flurazepam is excreted in breast milk. Society and culture
Drug misuse
Flurazepam is a drug with potential for misuse. Two types of drug misuse can occur, either recreational misuse where the drug is taken to achieve a high, or when the drug is continued long term against medical advice. Legal status
Flurazepam is a Schedule IV drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
Bleomycin is a medication used to treat cancer. This includes Hodgkins lymphoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, testicular cancer, ovarian cancer, and cervical cancer among others. Typically used with other cancer medications, it can be given intravenously, by injection into a muscle or under the skin. It may also be administered inside the chest to help prevent the recurrence of a fluid around the lung due to cancer; however talc is better for this.Common side effects include fever, weight loss, vomiting, and rash. A severe type of anaphylaxis may occur. It may also cause inflammation of the lungs that can result in lung scarring. Chest X-rays every couple of weeks are recommended to check for this. Bleomycin may cause harm to the baby if used during pregnancy. It is believed to primarily work by preventing the synthesis of DNA.Bleomycin was discovered in 1962. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a generic medication. It is made by the bacterium Streptomyces verticillus. Medical uses
Cancer
Bleomycin is mostly used to treat cancer. This includes testicular cancer, ovarian cancer, and Hodgkins disease, and less commonly non-Hodgkins disease. It can be given intravenously, by intramuscular injection, or under the skin. Other uses
It may also be put inside the chest to help prevent the recurrence of a pleural effusion due to cancer. However, for scarring down the pleura, talc appears to be the better option.While potentially effective against bacterial infections, its toxicity prevents its use for this purpose.