Lorazepam (Ativan) | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine. It is approved for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, or sleep difficulty due to anxiety or stress, status epilepticus ( ... Unknown0.0   Skiptocontent Search Close SignIn AboutMentalIllness   WaysofGiving ExplorethedifferentoptionsforsupportingNAMI'smission. LearnMore MainMenu AboutMentalIllness WarningSignsandSymptoms AboutMentalIllness WarningSignsandSymptoms MentalHealthConditions AboutMentalIllness MentalHealthConditions CommonwithMentalIllness AboutMentalIllness CommonwithMentalIllness Treatments AboutMentalIllness Treatments MentalHealthBytheNumbers AboutMentalIllness MentalHealthBytheNumbers Research AboutMentalIllness Research YourJourney   WaysofGiving ExplorethedifferentoptionsforsupportingNAMI'smission. 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LearnMore Mentalhealthconditions Learnmoreaboutcommonmentalhealthconditionsthataffectmillions. LearnMore FindYourLocalNAMI BYSTATE ToggleDropdown Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DistrictofColumbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada NewHampshire NewJersey NewMexico NewYork NorthCarolina NorthDakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania PuertoRico RhodeIsland SouthCarolina SouthDakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont VirginIslands Virginia Washington WestVirginia Wisconsin Wyoming Go CalltheNAMIHelplineat 800-950-6264 Ortext"HelpLine"to62640 DonateNow Brandnames: Ativan® Tablet:0.5mg,1mg,2mg Injection:2mg/mL,4mg/mL LorazepamIntensol® Liquidconcentrate:2mg/mLsolution Genericname:lorazepam(lorAzepam) AllFDAblackboxwarningsareattheendofthisfactsheet.Pleasereviewbeforetakingthismedication. WhatIsLorazepamAndWhatDoesItTreat? Lorazepamisabenzodiazepine.Itisapprovedforthetreatmentofanxiety,insomnia,orsleepdifficultyduetoanxietyorstress,statusepilepticus(continuousseizures),andasamedicationgivenrightbeforeanesthesia.However,benzodiazepinescanalsobeusedtotreatalcoholwithdrawal. GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder(GAD)occurswhenapersonexperiencesexcessiveanxietyorworryforatleastsixmonths.Othersymptomsinclude: Restlessness Fatigue(lowenergy,feelingtiredallthetime) Difficultyconcentrating Irritability Muscletension Sleepdisturbance(difficultyfallingasleeporwakingupinthemiddleofthenight) WhatIsTheMostImportantInformationIShouldKnowAboutLorazepam? Donotdriveacaroroperatemachineryuntilyouknowhowthismedicationaffectsyoubecauseyoumaynoticethatyoufeeltiredordizzy. Whenstartinglorazepam,anxietyorinsomniamayimproverapidlyoroveraperiodofdays. Benzodiazepines,suchaslorazepam,areoftenusedforshortperiodsoftimeonly.Theymayproduceemotionaland/orphysicaldependence(addiction)evenwhenusedasrecommended.Withinputfromyou,yourhealthcareproviderwillassesshowlongyouwillneedtotakethemedicine. Donotstoptakinglorazepamwithouttalkingtoyourhealthcareproviderfirst.Stoppinglorazepamabruptlymayresultinoneormoreofthefollowingwithdrawalsymptoms:troublesleeping,anxiety,irritability,nausea,tremor,dizziness,bloodpressurechanges,rapidheartrate,andseizures.Withdrawalreactionsmayoccurwhendosagereductionoccursforanyreason. Theuseoflorazepamwithdrugslikeopioidmedicationshasledtoserioussideeffectsincludingslowedanddifficultybreathinganddeath.Opioiddrugsaremedicationsusedtotreatpainandincludemedicationssuchas:codeine,oxycodone,morphine,andillegaldrugslikeheroin.Someopioidmedicationsarealsofoundincoughsyrup. Ifyouaretakinglorazepamwithanopioidmedication,getmedicalassistanceimmediatelyifyoufeeldizziness, sleepiness, haveslowortroubledbreathing,orifyoupassout.Caregiversmustgetmedicalhelprightawayifapatientdoesnotrespondanddoesnotwakeup. Avoidalcoholwhiletakingthismedication. AreThereSpecificConcernsAboutLorazepamAndPregnancy? Ifyouareplanningonbecomingpregnant,notifyyourhealthcareprovidertobestmanageyourmedications.Peoplelivingwithanxietydisorderswhowishtobecomepregnantfaceimportantdecisionsregardingriskversusbenefitofbenzodiazepineuseinpregnancy.Lorazepamcanincreasetheriskofprematurebirthandlowbirthweight.Neonatalwithdrawaland“floppybabysyndrome”areotherpotentialadverseeffects.Itisimportanttodiscussthiswithyourdoctorandcaregivers. Regardingbreastfeeding,cautionisadvisedsincelorazepamdoespassintobreastmilk. WhatShouldIDiscussWithMyHealthcareProviderBeforeTakingLorazepam? Symptomsofyourconditionthatbotheryouthemost Ifyouhavethoughtsofsuicideorharmingyourself Medicationsyouhavetakeninthepastforyourcondition,whethertheywereeffectiveorcausedanyadverseeffects Ifyouexperiencesideeffectsfromyourmedications,discussthemwithyourhealthcareprovider.Somesideeffectsmaypasswithtime,butothersmayrequirechangesinthemedication. Anyotherpsychiatricormedicalproblemsyouhaveincludingobstructivesleepapnea Allothermedicationsyouarecurrentlytaking(includingoverthecounterproductsandherbalandnutritionalsupplements)andanymedicationallergiesyouhave Othernon-medicationtreatmentyouarereceivingsuchastalktherapyorsubstanceabusetreatment.Yourprovidercanexplainhowthesedifferenttreatmentsworkwiththemedication. Ifyouareelderlyorpronetofalls Ifyouarepregnant,plantobecomepregnant,orarebreastfeeding Ifyoudrinkalcoholorusedrugs HowShouldITakeLorazepam? Lorazepammaybetakenwithorwithoutfood.Takewithfoodifyouexperienceanupsetstomach. Lorazepammaybetakeneverydayatregulartimesoronanasneeded(“PRN”)basis.Typically,yourhealthcareproviderwilllimitthenumberofdosesyoushouldtakeinoneday. Yourhealthcareproviderwilldeterminethedoseandmethodoftakingthemedicationthatisrightforyoubaseduponyourresponse. Lorazepamliquid:Measurewithadosingspoonororalsyringewhichyoucangetfromyourpharmacy. Ifyoutakethemedicationeveryday(insteadof‘asneeded’),useacalendar,pillbox,alarmclock,orcellphonealerttohelpyouremembertotakeit.Youmayalsoaskafamilymemberorafriendtoremindyouorcheckinwithyoutobesureyouaretakingyourmedication. WhatHappensIfIMissADoseOfLorazepam? Ifyoumissadoseoflorazepam,takeitassoonasyouremember,unlessitisclosertothetimeofyournextdose.Discussthiswithyourhealthcareprovider.Donotdoubleyournextdoseortakemorethanwhatisprescribed. WhatShouldIAvoidWhileTakingLorazepam? Avoiddrinkingalcoholandusingillegaldrugswhileyouaretakinglorazepam.Theymaydecreasethebenefits(e.g.,worsenyourcondition)andincreasetheadverseeffects(e.g.,sedation)ofthemedication.Alcoholincreasestheriskofaccidentaloverdosewithmedicationslikelorazepam. WhatHappensIfIOverdoseWithLorazepam? Ifanoverdoseoccurscallyourdoctoror911.Youmayneedurgentmedicalcare.Youmayalsocontactthepoisoncontrolcenterat1-800-222-1222. Symptomsofoverdoseincludeconfusion,impairedcoordination,slowreflexes,coma,anddeath. Aspecifictreatmenttoreversetheeffectsoflorazepamdoesexist.Thismedicine,calledflumazenil,canreversetheeffectsoflorazepambutmustbegiventhroughanIVatahospital.Onlyadoctorcandecideifyouneedthismedication. WhatArePossibleSideEffectsOfLorazepam? Commonsideeffects Feelingdizzy,drowsy,fatigued,orlightheaded Impairedcoordination,decreasedabilitytoconcentrate Ifyouexperiencethesesideeffectsafterstartinglorazepamtheywilloftenimproveoverthefirstweekortwoasyoucontinuetotakethemedication. Ifsideeffectsdonotimproveorbecomeproblematic,consultyourhealthcareprovider. Rare/serioussideeffects Shortnessofbreath,troublespeaking,feelingverytired,dizziness,orpassingout. Increasedheartrate,headache,memoryimpairment,irritability,restlessness Somepeopletakingbenzodiazepinesdevelopasevereallergicreactionandswellingoftheface.Thiscanoccurasearlyaswiththefirstdose. Somepeopletakingbenzodiazepinesforsleephaveexperiencedvariousbehaviorswhiletheywereasleep/notfullyawake,suchassleepdriving,makingphonecalls,andpreparingoreatingfood.Theindividualshavenomemoryoftheeventswhentheyawaken. Signsoffeelingdepressedorlowmood,thoughtsofharmingorkillingyourself,orlackofinterestinlife. AreThereAnyRisksForTakingLorazepamForLongPeriodsOfTime? Lorazepamisasafeandeffectivemedicationwhenusedasdirected.Benzodiazepinesmayproduceemotionaland/orphysicaldependence(addiction)evenwhenusedasrecommended.Physicaldependencemaydevelopafter2ormoreweeksofdailyuse. Theriskofwithdrawalreactionswhenstoppingtherapywithlorazepamisincreasedwithprolongeduseofthemedication. WhatOtherMedicationsMayInteractWithLorazepam? Lorazepamshouldnotbetakenwithotherbenzodiazepinemedications. Lorazepamcausesdrowsiness,socautionshouldbeusedwhencombiningitwithothermedicationsthatcausedrowsiness.Thesecouldinclude: Antihistaminessuchasdiphenhydramine(Benadryl®) Narcoticpainmedicationsuchasmorphine,oxycodone(OxyContin®),andhydrocodone(Vicodin®andLortab®) Opioidcoughmedicationssuchascodeinecoughsyrup Sleepingmedicationssuchaszolpidem(Ambien®) Otheranti-anxietymedications,antipsychoticmedications,certainanticonvulsantmedications,andtricyclicantidepressantmedications(suchasamitriptyline) HowLongDoesItTakeForLorazepamToWork? Whenstartinglorazepam,anxietyorinsomniamayimproverapidlyoroveraperiodofdaysorwithinhoursofthefirstdoseofmedication. SummaryofFDABlackBoxWarnings TheFDAhasfoundthatbenzodiazepinedrugs,suchaslorazepam,whenusedincombinationwithopioidmedicationsorothersedatingmedicationscanresultinseriousadversereactionsincludingslowedordifficultbreathinganddeath.Patientstakingopioidswithbenzodiazepines,othersedatingmedications,oralcohol,andcaregiversofthesepatients,shouldseekimmediatemedicalattentionifthatstarttoexperienceunusualdizzinessorlightheadedness,extremesleepiness,slowordifficultybreathing,orunresponsiveness. As abenzodiazepine,lorazepamcomeswiththeriskofabuse,misuse,andaddictiontothemedication.Physicaldependencetolorazepamcanoccurwithprolongeduseofthemedication.Awithdrawalreactionmayoccurwhenstoppinglorazepam,butthisriskcanbereducedbyslowlyreducingthedoseoflorazepamwhenstopping.Donotstoptakinglorazepamabruptly,anddonotmakeanychangestotherapywithoutconsultingyourhealthcareprovider. Providedby (September2021) ©2021 TheCollegeofPsychiatricandNeurologicPharmacists(CPNP)andtheNationalAllianceonMentalIllness(NAMI).CPNPandNAMImakethisdocumentavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution-NoDerivatives4.0InternationalLicense.LastUpdated:January2016. ThisinformationisbeingprovidedasacommunityoutreacheffortoftheCollegeofPsychiatricandNeurologicPharmacists.Thisinformationisforeducationalandinformationalpurposesonlyandisnotmedicaladvice.Thisinformationcontainsasummaryofimportantpointsandisnotanexhaustivereviewofinformationaboutthemedication.Alwaysseektheadviceofaphysicianorotherqualifiedmedicalprofessionalwithanyquestionsyoumayhaveregardingmedicationsormedicalconditions.Neverdelayseekingprofessionalmedicaladviceordisregardmedicalprofessionaladviceasaresultofanyinformationprovidedherein.TheCollegeofPsychiatricandNeurologicPharmacistsdisclaimsanyandallliabilityallegedasaresultoftheinformationprovidedherein. 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