General If Valium is to be combined with other psychotropic agents or anticonvulsant drugs, careful consideration should be given to the pharmacology of the agents to be employed - particularly with known compounds that may potentiate the action of diazepam, such as phenothiazines, narcotics, barbiturates, MAO inhibitors and other antidepressants (see DRUG INTERACTIONS ). The usual precautions are indicated for severely depressed patients or those in whom there is any evidence of latent depression or anxiety associated with depression, particularly the recognition that suicidal tendencies may be present and protective measures may be necessary. Psychiatric and paradoxical reactions are known to occur when using benzodiazepines (see ADVERSE REACTIONS ). Should this occur, use of the drug should be discontinued. These reactions are more likely to occur in children and the elderly. A lower dose is recommended for patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency , due to the risk of respiratory depression. Benzodiazepines should be used with extreme caution in patients with a history of alcohol or drug abuse (see Drug Abuse And Dependence ). In debilitated patients, it is recommended that the dosage be limited to the smallest effective amount to preclude the development of ataxia or oversedation (2 mg to 2.5 mg once or twice daily, initially, to be increased gradually as needed and tolerated). Some loss of response to the effects of benzodiazepines may develop after repeated use o
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