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Diastat® or Rectal Diazepam (Valium®)
Diastat®, or rectal Diazepam (Valium®) is one of the more clever pharmaceutical ideas to become available in a long time. The manufacturer took Diazepam; a well-known medication used to stop acute seizures when given intravenously, and formulated it as a rectal gel. This new formulation is an acute treatment for seizures that does not carry the risk of respiratory arrest that the intravenous form of diazepam and other benzodiazepene medications carry.
Diastat® can be used by nonmedical patient caregivers to stop seizures in patients who are known to have epilepsy and perhaps prevent the need to go to an emergency room. Diastat® can also be used by emergency responders who are not trained in intubation. This is important because in general, the earlier the patient receives medication to stop an acute seizure, the easier the seizure is to stop.
Diastat® is widely used at epilepsy camps for children where hospital emergency rooms are very far away. For caregivers who worry what to do when their loved one suffers another seizure, Diastat® gives them additional control over their loved one's disorder.