Clomethiazole
Overdose
Overdose
--------

Clomethiazole is particularly toxic and dangerous if [overdosed](/wiki/Drug_overdose "Drug overdose") and is potentially fatal. [Alcohol](/wiki/Alcohol_%28drug%29 "Alcohol (drug)") multiplies the effect. As the drug can be fatal in high doses, prescribing clomethiazole outside of a controlled environment, for example a hospital, is not recommended, especially because there are much less toxic alternatives, such as [diazepam](/wiki/Diazepam "Diazepam"). Diazepam is one of many drugs belonging to the benzodiazepine class, with a long half\-life (50–100 hours) and a very low risk of a fatal overdose, so long as the patient does not also consume alcohol or certain other types of medication.

Due to clomethiazole's action at the barbiturate complex the benzodiazepine antidote [flumazenil](/wiki/Flumazenil "Flumazenil") cannot reverse the effects of overdose; overdose treatment is restricted to the application of a mechanical ventilation apparatus until enough of the drug has been metabolized and/or excreted for the patient to breathe sufficiently without assistance.

Drummer [Keith Moon](/wiki/Keith_Moon "Keith Moon") of the rock band [The Who](/wiki/The_Who "The Who") died of a clomethiazole overdose.


What are some safer alternatives to clomethiazole?