Chlordiazepoxide

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Jan 14, 2025

Warnings

Chlordiazepoxide Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Chlordiazepoxide can cause or worsen health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other treatments for anxiety or alcohol withdrawal if you are at increased risk of adverse reactions from chlordiazepoxide. Some of the risks of taking chlordiazepoxide include:

LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION: The use of benzodiazepines, including chlordiazepoxide, with certain other drugs called opiates can lead to severe drowsiness and life-threatening respiratory depression (breathing problems), including slowed or shallow breathing. Examples of opioid drugs include codeine (found in many cough medicines), morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, tramadol, fentanyl, meperidine, and methadone.
Before starting chlordiazepoxide, give your doctor a complete list of your medications. Your doctor may need to change the dose of your medicines and monitor you carefully if you are taking other medicines that can interact with chlordiazepoxide HCl.
Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you develop lightheadedness, dizziness, severe drowsiness, or slowed or difficult breathing while on chlordiazepoxide. Your family members should know which symptoms are serious and when to seek medical care if you cannot do so yourself.
MISUSE, ABUSE, AND ADDICTION: Chlordiazepoxide is a Schedule IV federally controlled substance because of the potential for misuse, abuse, and addiction, as well as overdose and death. You can develop a physical dependence on chlordiazepoxide even when you take it at the recommended dose. Your healthcare provider will help to lower the risk of physical dependence by prescribing the lowest drug dosage for the shortest time to relieve symptoms. Risk factors for developing a dependence on benzodiazepine compounds include a history of drug or alcohol abuse and high doses or long-term use of chlordiazepoxide.
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS: Stopping benzodiazepine treatment with chlordiazepoxide HCl suddenly can lead to benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, including serious symptoms like seizures. Talk to your doctor before stopping this medicine. Your provider will tell you how to slowly decrease the dose to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Seek immediate medical care if you develop withdrawal symptoms such as ringing in the ears, problems with sleep, uncontrolled movements, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, memory problems, shaking, muscle twitching, burning or tingling in the hands or feet, seizures, hallucinations, abnormal excitement, losing touch with reality, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
IMPAIRED MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES: Chlordiazepoxide can cause unusual drowsiness, dizziness, reduced mental alertness, and slowed reaction time. Be careful while driving and doing other hazardous activities until you know how this medicine affects you. Drinking alcohol can make these side effects worse and increase your risk of breathing problems. Tell your doctor what other medications you are taking, because other CNS depressants can have additive effects.

Precautions Before Starting Chlordiazepoxide

Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to chlordiazepoxide HCl, any of the active or inactive ingredients in chlordiazepoxide capsules, other benzodiazepines, or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients. Examples of other benzodiazepines include alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Diastat, Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), temazepam (Restoril), clonazepam (Klonopin), estazolam, clorazepate (Gen-Xene, Tranxene), flurazepam, oxazepam, and triazolam (Halcion).

Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal supplements. This can help avoid possible interactions between chlordiazepoxide and your other medications.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Chlordiazepoxide may not be safe for people with certain health conditions, such as a substance use disorder, seizure disorder, glaucoma, heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, or kidney disease.

Talk to your doctor about the benefits versus risks of taking chlordiazepoxide if you are 65 years of age or older. There may be other safer medicines available to treat your symptoms.

Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, or plan to get pregnant in the near future. Chlordiazepoxide use can potentially lead to congenital abnormalities (birth defects) and be harmful to the unborn baby if it is taken during pregnancy. Babies born to women who took benzodiazepines during pregnancy can develop withdrawal symptoms after birth, such as poor feeding, crankiness, and tremors. Also, tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.

Precautions During Use of Chlordiazepoxide

Keep all your medical and laboratory appointments during treatment with chlordiazepoxide.

Chlordiazepoxide can make you drowsy and dizzy and affect your alertness, reaction time, balance control, and muscle control. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

Alcohol can make drowsiness and dizziness caused by chlordiazepoxide worse. Avoid drinking alcohol while on this medicine.

Tell your doctor without delay if you become pregnant while on chlordiazepoxide.

Tell all your healthcare providers you are on chlordiazepoxide, especially before any surgical procedures, including dental treatments.

Chlordiazepoxide Drug Interactions

Certain other drugs can affect how chlordiazepoxide HCl works. Possible drug interactions with other medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Your doctor may change the dosages of your medicines, switch you to alternative medications, and/or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions with chlordiazepoxide and your other drugs. Potential interactions include:

Opioid drugs
CNS depressants such as muscle relaxants
Herbal supplements such as valerian

The above list may not contain all the possible interactions of chlordiazepoxide HCl. Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription medications.

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