Diastat Acudial (Diazepam Rectal Gel) - RxList

What Is Diastat Acudial?

Diastat Acudial (diazepam) Rectal Gel is a benzodiazepine used for rectal administration in the management of selected, refractory, patients with epilepsy, on stable regimens of AEDs, who require intermittent use of diazepam to control bouts of increased seizure activity.

What Are Side Effects of Diastat Acudial?

Diastat Acudial may cause serious side effects including:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• worsening seizures,
• new or different seizures,
• pale,
• discolored skin,
• lightheadedness,
• confusion,
• hallucinations,
• unusual thoughts or behavior,
• unusual risk-taking behavior,
• decreased inhibitions,
• no fear of danger,
• hyperactivity,
• agitation,
• hostility,
• depressed mood, and
• thoughts of suicide

Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

Common side effects of Diastat Acudial Rectal Gel include:

• sleepiness
• drowsiness
• tiredness
• dizziness
• headache
• pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• stomach or abdominal pain
• nervousness
• dilated blood vessels (vasodilatation
• diarrhea
• unsteadiness
• euphoria
• loss of balance or coordination
• asthma
• nasal irritation
• rash
• blurred vision
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• or slurred speech.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Diastat Acudial Rectal Gel including:

• worsening seizures, or seizures that seem different from your other seizures;
• pale or discolored skin;
• confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior, unusual risk-taking behavior, decreased inhibitions, no fear of danger;
• hyperactivity, agitation, hostility, depression, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
• feeling like you might pass out; or
• pain or burning when you urinate.

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheartedness, or passing out;
• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

Dosage for Diastat Acudial

The recommended dose of Diastat Acudial rectal gel is 0.2-0.5 mg/kg depending on age.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Diastat Acudial?

Diastat Acudial may interact with other psychotropic agents or other CNS depressants, phenothiazines, narcotics, barbiturates, MAO inhibitors, antidepressants, cimetidine, quinidine, tranylcypromine, ketoconazole, troleandomycin, clotrimazole, rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, dexamethasone, phenobarbital, omeprazole, propranolol, imipramine, cyclosporine, paclitaxel, terfenadine, theophylline, and warfarin. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Diastat Acudial During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Diastat Acudial. Some anticonvulsant drugs cause birth defects. This drug passes into breast milk. Do not breastfeed for an appropriate period of time after receiving treatment with Diastat Acudial rectal gel. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking this medication.

Additional Information

Our Diastat Acudial (diazepam) Rectal Gel Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.