Valium vs Lorazepam: Which Anxiety Drug Is More Effective?
Valium and Lorazepam are two different medicines that help the body feel calm and relaxed. Sometimes when someone feels very worried, scared, or can not sleep properly, doctors give them these medicines to help their mind feel calm. Valium works for a longer period, and Lorazepam works faster. But these medications should only be used when a doctor has asked you to. Before using the drugs, you must know about their basic information. So, in this blog, we will understand what Valium and Lorazepam do, and what the key differences are between valium vs lorazepam in simple words. Let’s get started with the blog.
Valium vs Lorazepam: Differences, Similarities, and Which is Better For Your Anxiety
Definition of Valium and Lorazepam
Valium is the brand name for a generic compound called Diazepam. This is an anti-anxiety drug that helps individuals fight with anxiety symptoms easily with long and sustained effects. It has many formulations which are available as tablets, oral solution, injection, and rectal gel. This drug can also be used as an add-on treatment for seizures. It is a benzodiazepine that works by enhancing the level of GABA and reducing the nerve activity in the CNS.
Lorazepam is a generic compound that is sold under the brand name of Ativan. It is also an anti-anxiety medication that gives faster and instant relief from anxiety-related issues. Ativan is effective in treating sleep problems caused by anxiety or temporary stress. This medication has many formulations which are available in tablets, oral solution, and injection.
Is Lorazepam And Valium The Same?
Valium and Lorazepam are two anti-anxiety medications that fall under the drug category of the benzodiazepine drug class. These two medicines are approved by the FDA, so they are scheduled compounds of the schedule IV category. As they both belong to the same drug class, they both work in the same working way and carry similar risks of dependence, abuse, and dangerous withdrawal signs. But Valium and Lorazepam are differentiable in all other properties, like potency, how long they do stay inside the human system, formulation, duration of action and etc. So, Lorazepam and Valium are not the same medications.
What is The Difference Between Valium And Lorazepam?
The main difference between any two drugs always lies in their potency, dosage, how long do they stay in the human system, and the working duration for the health condition. Likewise, Valium and Lorazepam can be differentiated through these factors. Let’s see those factors that make them apart from each other in a little detail.
Valium vs Lorazepam Dosage
| Features | Valium | Lorazepam |
| Anxiety Single Dose | 2 to 10 mg | 0.5 to 2 mg |
| Typical Daily Range | 2 to 40 mg total | 2 to 6 mg total |
| Maximum Dose | Up to 30 mg or more | Not higher than 10 mg |
| Potency | Less potent than lorazepam | More potent than Valium |
| Equivalence of mg | 10 mg of Valium is approximately equal to 1 mg of Lorazepam | 1 mg of Lorazepam is approximately equal to 10 mg of Valium |
Valium vs Lorazepam half life
Half-life is the time period that is taken by the drug to get digested inside the body in the blood. But the actual time the body takes to eliminate any drug from the body can be influenced by several factors, like age, weight, gender, and frequency of doses. The standard half-life information of Valium and Lorazepam is given below in the table.
| Features | Valium | Lorazepam |
| Elimination Half-life | 40 to 50 hours | 12 to 18 hours |
| Onset of Action (Oral) | Fast | Slow |
| Peak Effect (Oral) | 60 to 90 minutes | Approx 2 hours |
| Onset of Action (IV) | 1 to 3 minutes | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Peak Effect (IV) | 2 to 3 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Active Metabolites | Yes | No |
| Duration of Effect | Short | Long and sustained |
Valium vs Lorazepam: For Anxiety
- Lorazepam or Ativan may get preferred to treat acute or minor symptoms of anxiety due to its fast-acting nature. Its metabolism process is way more simpler, so it is the most common choice for elderly individuals suffering from anxiety-related issues for short-term treatment.
- Valium is preferred because it can reduce the breakouts of anxiety symptoms and provide a sustained relief from those symptoms. It has a long-acting nature that helps to maintain more consistent levels in the human body.
Valium vs Lorazepam: For Sleep
For extreme sleeplessness issues like insomnia, Lorazepam or Ativan can be more useful than that of Valium or Diazepam. This is because of the differences in how the body processes each medication. As Lorazepam is specially designed to treat insomnia and approved by the FDA for it, then Lorazepam can give an individual a better quality of sleep, and make the patient fall asleep more quickly. Valium is used for sleeplessness by doctors in off-label use, but it can cause a next-day hangover-like feeling. So, for sleep, Lorazepam can be more helpful and trustworthy.
Lorazepam vs Valium: Which is Stronger?
According to research, a smaller dose of Lorazepam can give the same effect as a larger dose of Valium. But the strength of the medicine always fully depends on the patient’s health condition. To understand which is stronger between these two medications, look at the explanation table below.
| Features | Valium | Lorazepam |
| Primary Uses | Anxiety-related issues, seizures, muscle pain, and to reduce the use of alcohol | Anxiety symptoms, sleeplessness, and a sedative for any operation |
| Half Life | 48 to 70 hours | 18-25 hours |
| Duration | Long-acting | Intermediate-acting |
| Onset of Action | works within 15-30 minutes | works within 30 minutes |
| Potency | Less Potent | More Potent |
| Metabolism | Metabolized by liver enzymes | Metabolized by a simpler process called Glucuronidation |
| Onset | Slower Onset | Faster Onset |
| Cost | Less Expensive | More Expensive |
| Drug Interactions | More | less |
| FDA-approved Age Group | Children 6 months and older | Children 12 years and older |
| Lipid Solubility | High | Low |
Side Effects of Valium and Lorazepam
Benzodiazepine drugs always carry the risk of side effects. Valium and Lorazepam have almost similar side effects. The side effects may range from mild to severe, but their primary side effect is always about physical dependence and addiction due to the misuse of the drugs. Let’s see some of the very common side effects of both the drugs.
- Slurred speech
- Headache
- Ataxia
- Weak Muscles
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Abuse
- Agitation
- Depression
Can You Take Valium And Lorazepam Together?
You should never take Valium and Lorazepam together until and unless you are under strict medical supervision or suggests this combination by your doctor. Their interaction can cause several huge risks to the human body. Some dangers of mixing Valium and Lorazepam are listed below;
- Hypotension
- Extreme Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Stop breathing
- Coma
- CNS depression
- Memory loss
- Unable to stay awake
- Issues with balance
- Death
Alternative Medications to Valium and Lorazepam
When the original medication or initial medication does not show its good effects in the patient’s health condition, doctors go for an alternative medication. Lorazepam and Valium both belong to the same drug class, hence they have similar alternative options. Those are;
- Xanax
- Ativan
- Klonopin
- Librium
- Pregabalin
- Lexapro
- Fluoxetine
- Oxazepam
- Paxil
- Prozac
- Cymbalta
- Gabapentin
- Zoloft
- BuSpar
Summary
Finally, at the end of the blog, we hope this blog was informative to you and helped you understand the differences between the uses, effects, and other factors of Valium and Lorazepam. Always remember to use the drugs safely with the help of a doctor and stay safe.