After short-term therapy, the dose is usually gradually tapered-off to reduce or avoid any withdrawal or rebound effects.

[5][6] Desmethyldiazepam, an active metabolite, has a very long half-life of 36 to 200 hours, which contributes to the therapeutic effects of prazepam.

Other side effects include feebleness, clumsiness or lethargy, clouded thinking and mental slowness.

[12][13][14] Tolerance and dependence can develop with long-term use of prazepam, and upon cessation or reduction in dosage, then a benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome may occur with symptoms such as tremulousness, dysphoria, psychomotor agitation, tachycardia and sweating.

[17] Abrupt or over-rapid discontinuation of prazepam after long-term use, even at low dosage, may result in a protracted withdrawal syndrome.

[21] Prazepam exerts its therapeutic effects primarily via modulating the benzodiazepine receptor which in turn enhances GABA function in the brain.

[15][37] Animal studies have found prazepam taken during pregnancy results in delayed growth and causes reproductive abnormalities.