Flumazenil [Flumazepil]

The manufacturer recommends that flumazenil pharmacotherapy for the symptomatic management of acute benzodiazepine overdosage can be administered by a physician who has experience in anesthesiology. The manufacturer also recommends that patients have an established airway and intravenous access before intravenous flumazenil pharmacotherapy is initiated. Concurrent emergency symptomatic medical support of body systems with attention to increasing the elimination of the benzodiazepine is indicated for acute overdosage. Flumazenil has a relatively short duration of action. Therefore, overdosages involving long-acting benzodiazepines require continued monitoring after initial therapeutic benefit has been achieved. Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine antagonist that acts at the benzodiazepine receptors to reverse, or antagonize, the actions of benzodiazepines by means of competitive inhibition. Flumazenil also possesses weak anticonvulsant. Generally, flumazenil pharmacotherapy is well tolerated.