Trankimazin: uses and side effects of this anxiolytic drug.

We explain the characteristics of this anxiolytic drug of the benzodiazepine group.

Trankimazin is one of the most frequently used anxiolytic drugs. most frequently consumed. It is an immediate-acting benzodiazepine used for the treatment of acute states of anxiety, among other conditions.

We will see in this article what trankimazin is and how it works, as well as its main side effects and contraindications.

What is Trankimazin and what is it used for?

Trankimazin is the trade name of a psychotropic drug called "alprazolam". This same drug is in some places known as Xanax. It is an anxiolytic drug, i.e. it is used for the treatment of anxiety symptoms. for the treatment of symptoms of anxiety and anxiety attacks..

The latter include different physiological reactions that occur constantly and whose control is beyond the person's control. It is specifically prescribed for the treatment of clinical conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder and some phobias such as social phobia.

In the same way, Trankimazin is used for the treatment of adaptive and in the case of depressive disorders that present comorbidity with anxiety disorders. In the same way, it is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety states that accompany medical treatments, such as chemotherapies, but it is not only used as an anxiolytic..

But it not only has effects as an anxiolytic. Being a drug with hypnotic properties, Trankimazin works as a Muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant.. This is derived from its pharmacological properties that place it in the category of benzodiazepines. We will now see how these drugs are defined.

Benzodiazepines

In general, anxiolytics have a depressant action on the central nervous system. On a specific level, they may have different effects depending on the type of anxiolytic involved. For example, benzodiazepines, prescribed for short-term anxiety attacks, are the most recently marketed anxiolytics, having replaced barbiturates.

In the past, barbiturates were considered the main medication to treat anxiety symptoms; however, they have been gradually replaced due to the large number of adverse effects they cause.

Among the drugs that have replaced barbiturates is precisely Trankimazin, a benzodiazepine whose action is immediate; that is to say, it acts quickly on the central nervous systemTherefore, its effects are of short duration (they can last between 12 and 24 hours).

The latter has represented an advantage over other anxiolytics, because, by acting quickly in the organism, the need to take large quantities of the drug is reduced. Likewise, by having a short duration the probabilities of generating drug dependence are reduced..

Mechanism of action

Being a benzodiazepine, Trankimazin acts through gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. The latter is one of the main neurotransmitters with inhibitory action..

When Trankimazin binds with GABA receptors, this inhibitory action is potentiated, generating sedative or anxiolytic effects in the central nervous system. Therefore, this drug is considered a benzodiazepine receptor agonist.

In other words, Trankimazin reduces neuronal activation in some areas of the brain where GABA receptors are present, especially in the limbic system where GABA receptors are present; especially in the limbic system, which is the region associated with anxiety states.

Contraindications

Trankimazin is contraindicated in the case of people who have the following symptomatology:

• Narrow-angle glaucoma..
• Respiratory tract disorders.
• Myasthenia (autoimmune neuromuscular disease that generates weakness in voluntary skeletal muscles).
• Renal or hepatic insufficiency..

It is also recommended to suspend its use during pregnancy and lactation, due to the probability that this drug is transmitted in the placenta and breast milk. It is also recommended to avoid the use of heavy machinery and to take precautions when driving, due to its sedative effects.

Side effects

Although benzodiazepines have reduced the possibility of suffering adverse effects as well as of developing drug dependence (compared to barbiturates), these drugs still include the possibility of experiencing secondary manifestations.

In this regard, the main adverse effect caused by trankimazin is drowsiness, fatigue and sedation accompanied by severe headaches and dizziness.. For the same reason, it can cause a decrease in alertness, and an alteration of attention or concentration. In the same line, trankimazin can generate difficulties in retaining information in the short term, that is to say, it can cause some memory problems.

At the physiological level, side effects include vomiting, nausea, blurred vision, hypotension, tremors, urinary incontinence and altered libido. Other more serious but less frequent effects are sudden mood changes, hallucinations, suicidal ideation, aggressiveness or irritability and intraocular pressure. In the same sense, and as can occur with other psychotropic drugs, there is the possibility of developing paradoxical effects. the possibility of developing paradoxical effects (contrary to what would be expected) such as agitation, hyperactivity, restlessness or elevated states of anxiety.

On the other hand, it is advisable to reduce its intake gradually, to avoid a withdrawal syndrome or a sudden return of previous manifestations of anxiety. Likewise, an excessive intake of this drug may result in overdose with cardiorespiratory failure.

Bibliographic references:

• Trankimazin tablet 0.5 mg (2015). Vademecum. Retrieved October 23, 2018. Available at https://www.vademecum.es/equivalencia-lista-trankimazin+tablet+0.5+mg-espana-n05ba12-en_1.
• Stevens, J.C.. y Pollack, M.H. (2005). Benzodiazepines in clinical practice: consideration of their long-term use and alternative agents. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; 66 (2):21-7.