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Ativan

Ativan (Lorazepam) side effects drug center

 

PROFESSIONAL

CONSUMER

SIDE EFFECTS

 

Ativan Side Effects Center

What Is Ativan?

Ativan (lorazepam) is a benzodiazepine used for the management of anxiety disorders, insomnia, panic attacks, and alcohol withdrawal. Ativan is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Ativan?

Common side effects of Ativan include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Tiredness
  • Muscle weakness
  • Headache
  • Blurred vision
  • Sleep problems (insomnia)
  • Loss of balance or coordination
  • Forgetfulness or amnesia
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Changes in appetite
  • Skin rash

Dosage for Ativan

The usual dose of Ativan for treating anxiety is 2-3 mg/day given in two or three divided doses.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Ativan?

Insomnia is treated with 2-4 mg given at bedtime.

Ativan During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Ativan may interact with alcohol, cold or allergy medicines, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, medicine for seizures, anti-anxiety medications, barbiturates, MAO inhibitors, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, or antidepressants. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Ativan and other benzodiazepines have been associated with fetal damage, including congenital malformations, when taken by pregnant women in their first trimester. Ativan is best avoided if at all possible in the first trimester and probably throughout pregnancy. It is not known if Ativan is secreted in breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our Ativan Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

 

Ativan Consumer Information

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Lorazepam can slow or stop your breathing, especially if you have recently used an opioid medication or alcohol. A person caring for you should give seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

  • severe drowsiness;
  • unusual changes in mood or behavior, being agitated or talkative;
  • sudden restless feeling or excitement;
  • thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
  • confusion, aggression, hallucinations;
  • sleep problems;
  • vision changes; or
  • dark urine, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Drowsiness or dizziness may last longer in older adults. Use caution to avoid falling or accidental injury.

Common side effects may include:

  • dizziness, drowsiness;
  • weakness; or
  • feeling unsteady.

After you stop using lorazepam, get medical help right away if you have symptoms such as: unusual muscle movements, being more active or talkative, sudden and severe changes in mood or behavior, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, suicidal thoughts or actions.

Some withdrawal symptoms may last up to 12 months or longer after stopping this medicine suddenly. Tell your doctor if you have ongoing anxiety, depression, problems with memory or thinking, trouble sleeping, ringing in your ears, a burning or prickly feeling, or a crawling sensation under your skin.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Ativan (Lorazepam)

 

Ativan Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

Most adverse reactions to benzodiazepines, including CNS effects and respiratory depression, are dose dependent, with more severe effects occurring with high doses.

In a sample of about 3500 patients treated for anxiety, the most frequent adverse reaction to Ativan (lorazepam) was sedation (15.9%), followed by dizziness (6.9%), weakness (4.2%), and unsteadiness (3.4%). The incidence of sedation and unsteadiness increased with age.

Other adverse reactions to benzodiazepines, including lorazepam are fatigue, drowsiness, amnesia, memory impairment, confusion, disorientation, depression, unmasking of depression, disinhibition, euphoria, suicidal ideation/attempt, ataxia, asthenia, extrapyramidal symptoms, convulsions/seizures, tremor, vertigo, eye function/visual disturbance (including diplopia and blurred vision), dysarthria/slurred speech, change in libido, impotence, decreased orgasm; headache, coma; respiratory depression, apnea, worsening of sleep apnea, worsening of obstructive pulmonary disease; gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, change in appetite, constipation, jaundice, increase in bilirubin, increase in liver transaminases, increase in alkaline phosphatase; hypersensitivity reactions, anaphylactoid reactions; dermatological symptoms, allergic skin reactions, alopecia; syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), hyponatremia; thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, pancytopenia; hypothermia; and autonomic manifestations.

Paradoxical reactions, including anxiety, excitation, agitation, hostility, aggression, rage, sleep disturbances/insomnia, sexual arousal, and hallucinations may occur. Small decreases in blood pressure and hypotension may occur but are usually not clinically significant, probably being related to the relief of anxiety produced by Ativan (lorazepam).

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bausch Health US, LLC at 1-800-3214576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Ativan (Lorazepam)

&Copy; Ativan Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Ativan Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.