Sedatives come mostly from a class
of drugs called benzodiazepine (sometimes referred to as Benzos or BZD). The
oldest marketed variety of this drug is Valium, which has been prescribed since
1963.
BZDs are used to induce a relaxed,
sedate, hypnotic effect in a patient suffering from anxiety, convulsions,
alcohol withdrawal or as a sedative before a medical or dental procedure.
Generally, these drugs are safe in
the short term, but long term use could result in cognitive impairments,
aggression, tolerance, physical dependence and withdrawal syndrome when
discontinued.
Popular sedatives prescribed in the
marketplace today include: