Brief Answer:
There are better options.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for writing to us,

Valium is diazepam which belongs to the benzodiazepine group of drugs. Older patients are more sensitive to both the therapeutic and the toxic effects of benzodiazepines. When used, low doses are recommended. These medications are beneficial because they have a rapid onset of action and little effect on cardiovascular status or the heart. However, possible complications of long-term benzodiazepine use in elderly patients include excessive daytime drowsiness, cognitive impairment and confusion, psychomotor impairment and risk of falls, depression, paradoxical reactions, amnestic syndromes, respiratory problems, abuse and dependence potential, and breakthrough withdrawal reactions. These may occur any time during the intake. Because of these complications, use of benzodiazepines for more than a few weeks is generally not recommended.

Currently there are medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs and also SNRIs with much better side effect profiles that can be used in anxiety. These medications have replaced benzodiazepines as the most frequently prescribed medications for management of anxiety disorders. Currently approved SSRIs include citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline. These drugs take at least couple of weeks to act but are safer in the long run. During this initial period, benzodiazepines can be used till the drug starts acting. These drugs too have side effects but they are relatively safer than benzodiazepines.

These drugs can influence your son with bipolar disorder only in having an easy access to them in the house. Now that he is asymptomatic, it would not pose a problem but patients with bipolar disorder do have a higher rate of suicide, mostly during an active episode in which case no objects that can cause self harm should be made available to him easily.

Hope this helps,
Dr A Rao

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