Diazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine commonly used to treat which condition?

• A. Status epilepticus
• B. Insomnia
• C. Panic disorder
• D. General anesthesia

Answer: (A)

Diazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine that enhances GABA-A receptor activity, increasing inhibition in the brain. This makes it effective in stopping seizures during status epilepticus because it can rapidly suppress abnormal neuronal firing and its effects last long enough to prevent early recurrence. The long duration comes from active metabolites, which can lead to ongoing sedation and accumulation with repeated dosing, a trade-off that suits emergency seizure control but isn’t ideal for everywhere else. For insomnia, the long half-life can cause daytime drowsiness, so shorter-acting options are generally preferred. For panic disorder, other treatments such as SSRIs or shorter-acting anxiolytics are typically used rather than a long-acting benzodiazepine. For general anesthesia, induction and maintenance rely on different agents chosen for precise control of onset and recovery.