[Benzodiazepine antagonists in the treatment of heptic encephalopathy]

For the first time a causal treatment of hepatic encephalopathy may be possible by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. In contrast to all other treatments used so far by flumazenil hepatic encephalopathy improves within minutes. Flumazenil is the first benzodiazepine antagonist which can be used in humans and is a well established for treatment of benzodiazepine overdose. For treatment of hepatic encephalopathy development of a new antagonist with a longer half-life is desirable. However, ut should be stressed that the current experience with flumazenil is limited and that the effects of flumazenil on hepatic encephalopathy is not proven by randomized controlled studies. Therefore, this drug should only be used in clinical studies.