diazepam vs theophylline
According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.
Side-by-side comparison of diazepam and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
25% increase Diazepam Benzodiazepines increase CNS concentrations of adenosine, a potent CNS depressant, while theophylline blocks adenosine receptors. Larger diazepam doses may be required to produce desired level of sedation. Discontinuation of theophylline without reduction of diazepam dose may result in respiratory depression.
Valium
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Diazepam (Valium) is a medicine that can help with anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which work by slowing down the brain.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
Diazepam can help manage anxiety disorders or provide short-term relief from anxiety symptoms. It can also relieve symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as shaking or agitation. Additionally, diazepam can help with muscle spasms and may be used with other medicines to treat seizures.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Diazepam works by increasing the effects of a natural chemical in the brain called GABA. GABA helps to calm the brain and nerves. This can reduce anxiety, relax muscles, and prevent seizures.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
- • Drowsiness
- • Fatigue
- • Muscle weakness
- • Uncoordinated movements
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Toxicity To Various Agents 9,167
- Drug Abuse 7,019
- Nausea 6,149
- Fatigue 5,714
- Pain 5,202
- Dyspnoea 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,318
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
Diazepam can be habit-forming and can cause serious side effects, including breathing problems, coma, and even death, especially when taken with opioid pain medicines or alcohol. You should not stop taking diazepam suddenly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to slowly stop taking diazepam.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Diazepam may harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if diazepam passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare diazepam with
How to Read This diazepam vs theophylline Comparison
diazepam is classified in the Benzodiazepine drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, diazepam has 33,251 submissions while theophylline has 7,940. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to theophylline blocks the receptors in the brain that diazepam needs to work. this makes diazepam less effective at its normal dose.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for diazepam or theophylline.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.