Indications: all forms of epilepsy; status epilepticus; myoclonus.

Cautions: may affect the ability to drive or operate machinery and increase the effects of alcohol; breast- feeding; porphyria; avoid sudden withdrawal; myasthenia gravis, porphyria; hepatic or renal impairment; pregnancy; breast feeding.

Facilities for reversing respiratory depression with mechanical ventilation must be at hand.

Contra-indications: respiratory depression; acute pulmonary insufficiency; sleep apnoea syndrome; marked neuromuscular respiratory weakness including unstable myasthenia gravis.

Side Effects: drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, muscle hypotonia, hypersalivation in infants, paradoxical aggression, irritability and mental changes, visual disturbances on long-term treatment; blood disorders.

Dose: 1 mg, initially, at night for 4 nights, increased over 2-4 weeks to a daily maintenance dose of 4-8 mg at night. Child up to 1 year, 250 mcg increased as above to 0.5-1 mg. 1-5 years, 250 mcg increased to 1-3 mg. 5-12 years, 500 mcg increased to 3-6 mg.