Karpam 5mg Tablet
Prescription Required
Product introduction
Karpam 5mg Tablet is a prescription medicine used in the treatment of short-term anxiety. It can also be used to treat acute alcohol withdrawal, to relieve muscle spasm and as adjunctive therapy for seizures. This medicine relaxes the nerve cells and calms the brain.
Karpam 5mg Tablet may be taken with or without food. However, take it at the same time each day as this helps to maintain a consistent level of medicine in the body. Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor as it has a high potential of habit-forming. If you have missed any doses, take it as soon as you remember it and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better. Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor as it can cause withdrawal effects like depression and difficulty sleeping.
The most common side effects of this medicine include drowsiness, fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired coordination. If any of these side effects do not subside on their own or get worse, let your doctor know. Also, do not drive or do anything that requires mental focus until you know how this medicine affects you.
This medicine may cause weight gain. But, a well balanced diet and regular exercise can help to reduce extra weight. If you have been taking this medicine for a long time then regular monitoring of blood and liver functions may be required.
Karpam 5mg Tablet may be taken with or without food. However, take it at the same time each day as this helps to maintain a consistent level of medicine in the body. Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor as it has a high potential of habit-forming. If you have missed any doses, take it as soon as you remember it and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better. Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor as it can cause withdrawal effects like depression and difficulty sleeping.
The most common side effects of this medicine include drowsiness, fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired coordination. If any of these side effects do not subside on their own or get worse, let your doctor know. Also, do not drive or do anything that requires mental focus until you know how this medicine affects you.
This medicine may cause weight gain. But, a well balanced diet and regular exercise can help to reduce extra weight. If you have been taking this medicine for a long time then regular monitoring of blood and liver functions may be required.
Uses of Karpam Tablet
- Short term anxiety
- Alcohol withdrawal
- Muscle spasm
- Epilepsy
Benefits of Karpam Tablet
In Short term anxiety
Karpam 5mg Tablet reduces the symptoms of excessive anxiety and worry that are triggered only at the time of stressful conditions that last for a shorter duration. These could be job interviews, exams, stage performances, etc. It can effectively manage feelings of restlessness, tiredness, difficulty concentrating and feeling irritable. Karpam 5mg Tablet will therefore help you go about your daily activities more easily and be more productive. Keep taking this medicine even if you feel well. Stopping suddenly can cause serious problems.
In Alcohol withdrawal
Karpam 5mg Tablet is a medicine used, along with social support and counseling, to help people recover from alcohol addiction and to avoid having the urge to drink alcohol again. Karpam 5mg Tablet starts working from the very first dose and is a very safe and effective way of treating alcohol addiction.
In Muscle spasm
Karpam 5mg Tablet effectively relieves muscle stiffness or spasm, thereby improving muscle movement. Take it as prescribed by the doctor to get the most benefit. Do not take more or for longer than needed as that can be dangerous and it also has habit-forming potential. In general, you should take the lowest dose that works, for the shortest possible time. This will help you to go about your daily activities more easily and have a better, more active, quality of life.
In Epilepsy
Karpam 5mg Tablet slows down electrical signals in the brain which cause seizures (fits). It can also help reduce symptoms such as confusion, uncontrollable jerking movements, loss of awareness, and fear or anxiety. The medicine can allow you to do some activities that you would otherwise be forbidden or scared to do (such as swimming and driving). It can take a few weeks for this medicine to work (because the dose has to be increased slowly) and during this time you may still have seizures.
Side effects of Karpam Tablet
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Karpam
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Impaired coordination
How to use Karpam Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Karpam 5mg Tablet may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Karpam Tablet works
Karpam 5mg Tablet is a benzodiazepine. It works by increasing the action of a chemical messenger (GABA) which suppresses the abnormal and excessive activity of the nerve cells in the brain.
Safety advice
Alcohol
UNSAFE
It is unsafe to consume alcohol with Karpam 5mg Tablet.
Pregnancy
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Karpam 5mg Tablet is unsafe to use during pregnancy as there is definite evidence of risk to the developing baby. However, the doctor may rarely prescribe it in some life-threatening situations if the benefits are more than the potential risks. Please consult your doctor.
Breast feeding
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Karpam 5mg Tablet is probably unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug may pass into the breastmilk and harm the baby.
Driving
UNSAFE
Karpam 5mg Tablet may cause side effects which could affect your ability to drive.
Karpam 5mg Tablet can make you sleepy, forgetful, and have poor co-ordination. This may affect your ability to drive.
Karpam 5mg Tablet can make you sleepy, forgetful, and have poor co-ordination. This may affect your ability to drive.
Kidney
CAUTION
Karpam 5mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Karpam 5mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Dose adjustment may be required if it is to be given for a long period
Dose adjustment may be required if it is to be given for a long period
Liver
CAUTION
Karpam 5mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with liver disease. Dose adjustment of Karpam 5mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
What if you forget to take Karpam Tablet?
If you miss a dose of Karpam 5mg Tablet, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.\n
All substitutes
For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.
Karpam 5mg Tablet
₹0.58/Tablet
Valium 5 Tablet
Abbott
₹1.78/tablet
207% costlier
Calmpose 5mg Tablet
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
₹1.53/tablet
164% costlier
Paxum 5mg Tablet
East India Pharmaceutical Works Ltd
₹1.46/tablet
152% costlier
Diaze 5mg Tablet
Ind Swift Laboratories Ltd
₹0.26/tablet
55% cheaper
Dizep 5mg Tablet
Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd
₹1.72/tablet
197% costlier
Quick tips
- Karpam 5mg Tablet helps treat short term anxiety.
- Safety of this medicine is not established for long-term use. Do not use it for more than 4 weeks.
- The addiction / habit-forming potential of this medicine is very high. Take it only as per the dose and duration advised by your doctor
- It may cause dizziness. Do not drive or do anything that requires mental focus until you know how this medicine affects you.
- Avoid consuming alcohol as it may increase dizziness and drowsiness.
- Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or breastfeeding.
- Do not stop taking medication suddenly without talking to your doctor as that may lead to nausea, anxiety, agitation, flu-like symptoms, sweating, tremor, and confusion.
Fact Box
Chemical Class
Benzodiazepine Derivative
Habit Forming
Yes
Therapeutic Class
NEURO CNS
Action Class
Benzodiazepines
Interaction with drugs
Taking Karpam with any of the following medicines can modify the effect of either of them and cause some undesirable side effects
Modafinil may raise blood levels of Diazepam.
watch out for symptoms of Modafinil side effects such as tremors, fever, sleepiness, dizziness, dry mouth or nausea and consult your
Concurrent use may cause increased sleepliness, slow breathing, and even death.
If concurrent use is essential, watch out for symptoms of Diazepam side effects such as drowsiness,
Concurrent use may cause increased sleepliness, slow breathing, and even death.
If concurrent use is essential, watch out for symptoms of Diazepam side effects such as drowsiness,
Concurrent use may cause seriously low blood pressure, slow breathing, fatal respiratory arrest, increased dizziness, and sedation.
If concurrent use is essential, watch out for s
Concurrent use may cause increased sleepliness, slow breathing, and even death.
If concurrent use is essential, watch out for symptoms of Diazepam side effects such as drowsiness,
Patient concerns
FAQs
Is Karpam 5mg Tablet an antidepressant? What is it used for?
Karpam 5mg Tablet is not an antidepressant and belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepine. It is used to treat severe anxiety (an emotional state where you may sweat, tremble, feel anxious and have a fast heartbeat) or agitation. It is also used to treat trembling, muscle spasm due to tetanus or poisoning, seizures or fits, confusional states or anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal. It also helps in relaxing patients before minor operations or procedures.
How long does it take for Karpam 5mg Tablet to start working?
It depends on what you are taking Karpam 5mg Tablet for. If you are taking it to treat anxiety, you should start feeling better within a few hours, but it may take a week or two before the full benefits become evident. Similarly, if you are taking it to relieve muscle spasm you may notice a difference after 15 minutes. Your muscles will start relaxing when you keep taking Karpam 5mg Tablet regularly for a few days.
Does Karpam 5mg Tablet cause sleepiness? If yes, then should I stop driving while taking Karpam 5mg Tablet?
Yes, Karpam 5mg Tablet causes drowsiness very commonly. It also causes forgetfulness and affects muscular function which may adversely affect your ability to drive. Sometimes, drowsiness persists even on the following day. So, in case Karpam 5mg Tablet makes you sleepy and affects your alertness, you should avoid driving.
Is it safe to take Karpam 5mg Tablet and alcohol together?
No, it is not at all recommended to take alcohol with Karpam 5mg Tablet since it can cause breathing problems, sleepiness and heart problems. Taking Karpam 5mg Tablet with alcohol may make you sleepy and your breathing may become so shallow that you may not wake up. This may even lead to death.
Is Karpam 5mg Tablet addictive?
People taking Karpam 5mg Tablet in high doses or for a long term may become addicted to it. Also, people with a history of alcoholism and drug abuse are more likely to become addicted to Karpam 5mg Tablet. Therefore, Karpam 5mg Tablet should be taken for the shortest possible time and in the lowest effective dose.
Can I stop taking Karpam 5mg Tablet if I start feeling better?
No, do not stop taking Karpam 5mg Tablet suddenly as you may experience withdrawal effects like depression, nervousness, difficulty in sleeping, irritability, sweating, upset stomach or diarrhea. Stopping it suddenly may even bring back the symptoms and make them harder to treat. You may also experience mood changes, anxiety, restlessness and changes in sleep patterns. These effects may occur even after taking low doses for a short period of time.
For how long should I take Karpam 5mg Tablet?
The duration of treatment with Karpam 5mg Tablet is mainly as short as possible. Your doctor will evaluate you after 4 weeks of treatment in order to assess the need of continuation of treatment, especially if you do not have any symptoms. In general, the treatment does not last any longer than 8-12 weeks which includes the gradual reduction of dose process.
Does Karpam 5mg Tablet have any effect on contraception?
Karpam 5mg Tablet does not affect the functioning of any type of contraception including the birth control pills and emergency contraception. Birth control pills can keep Karpam 5mg Tablet in your body for a long time and increase its effect. You can also experience bleeding in between your periods if you take Karpam 5mg Tablet and birth control pills together. But your contraceptive method will still work.
Is it safe to take clozapine and Karpam 5mg Tablet together?
No, it is not recommended to take clozapine and Karpam 5mg Tablet together because the effects of both medicines may get added together. This can result in severe drop in blood pressure, breathing problems (respiratory depression) and can even stop your heart which can lead to death.
Is Karpam 5mg Tablet safe to be used in elderly patients?
The dose in elderly is generally half of the dose recommended to young people. This is because Karpam 5mg Tablet causes muscle relaxation which can make the patient fall down, which may further lead to fractures.
Want to share the information?
Disclaimer:
Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.References
- Stahl SM, editor. Diazepam. In: Stahl's Essential Pschopharmacology: Prescriber's Guide. 5th ed. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press; 2014. pp. 185-89.
- White PF, Katzung BG. Skeletal Muscle Relaxants. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. pp. 462-63.
- Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 389-91.
- Diazepam. South San Francisco, California: Genentech USA Inc.; 2013. [Accessed 22 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:
- Chaves RG, Lamounier JA. Breastfeeding and maternal medications. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2004;80(5 Suppl):S189-S198. [Accessed 20 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). [Accessed 22 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:
Marketer details
Name: Densa Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd
Address: 1, Anurag Mansion, Shiv-Vallabh Road, Dahisar (E), Mumbai-400068.
Country of origin: India
Lab tests offered by us
Related/Popular tests
NOT FOR SALE
We do not facilitate sale of this product at present
