“…Impairment of the rate of drug elimination in the elderly has been demonstrated for those benzodiazepines which are primarily oxidized (e.g. diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, desalkylflurazepam and desmethyldiazepam) (Divoll Allen et al, 1980;Greenblatt et al, 1980aKlotz et al, 1975;Klotz & Muller-Seydlitz, 1979;Roberts et al, 1978) and for nitrazepam (Jochemsen et al, 1983b;Kangas et al, 1979). Age, on the other hand, has little, if any, effect on the disposition of benzodiazepines, for which drug conjugation is the primary metabolic step Greenblatt et al, 1979Greenblatt et al, , 1980bKrauss et al, 1978;Shull et al, 1976) Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed for elderly patients and age related changes in clinical effects may be due to alterations in protein binding, distribution or clearance.…”