These effects are best exemplified by examining what happens after a geriatric patient takes diazepam. A lipid-soluble drug, diazepam and its metabolites will be stored in an increasingly large body compartment. This will temporarily decrease the serum level of the drug, but will prolong the half-life from an average of 20 hours to greater than 50 hours. Repeated dosing will quickly result in toxic serum levels, at which point the patient is at risk for CNS side effects as well as falls and fractures.