Diastat is part of a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines have several effects on the body, including:
- Reducing anxiety
- Causing sleepiness
- Relaxing the muscles
- Stopping seizures
- Impairing short-term memory.
All medicines in this category can have these effects to some degree, depending on the specific benzodiazepine that is taken. They work in the brain by enhancing the effects of
gamma-aminobutyric acid (
GABA), a chemical that is naturally calming. GABA can slow down or stop certain nerve signals in the brain. This is why Diastat and other benzodiazepines are known as mild tranquilizers, sedatives, or central nervous system depressants (CNS depressants).
Diastat is approved for treating
seizures in children as young as two years old. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of using the drug in children.
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Diastat for something other than the condition listed in this article. At this time, there are no universally accepted
off-label Diastat uses.
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