Ativan. General Information

Ativan (lorazepam) is one of the drugs forming the group of benzodiazepines.

Brand Name: Ativan

Generic: lorazepam

Availability: Prescription

Medical forms: 1 mg sublingual tablet; 2 mg sublingual tablet; injections

Ingredients: active ingredient – lorazepam

Indications

Ativan is the medication used to treat anxiety problems. However, Ativan has several side effects such as hypnotic condition, anticonvulsive and sedative effects. Ativan is also considered to be a preanesthetic agent.

Ativan is usually prescribed to the patients suffering from severe anxiety conditions which may disable. The main reasons for Ativan to be indicated are that it can decrease the level of anxiety acting as a premedicant and manage anxiety episodes.

Ativan is prescribed only when a patient’s condition has not responded a non-drug therapy, when the disorder is considered to be severe and subjects a patient to distress. The conditions evolved by every-day stress or usual tension are not treated with the help of Ativan.

Mechanism of Action

Ativan is a drug from the group of benzodiazepines. It produces sedative, hypnotic and anxiolytic effect on individuals. The exact mechanism of action of the drug has not been established yet but benzodiazepine is known to affect individuals’ central nervous system as an inhibitor suppressing some impulses of the specific receptors’ within the central nervous system by binding to them

Aativan shouldn’t be used by the patients experiencng the following conditions:

• sleep apnoea syndrome
• respiratory insufficiency
• allergy or hypersensitivity to benzodiazepine.

Ativan possible effects on an unborn baby and its ability to pass into a breast milk have not been established. Thus, the medication is not recommended for pregnant or breast-feeding patients.

As it has not been studied if Ativan may influence an unborn baby, thus, a patient should tell a doctor in case of being pregnant or planning to get pregnant while following the administration of Ativan. The medication should not be used by breastfeeding individuals. In case when a patient is breast-feeding a doctor should not prescribe Ativan for such a person or prescribe another alternative to Ativan.

A long-term usage of Ativan may cause addiction. Thus, the medication should be used only by those it has been prescribed for.

There’re several contraindications which exclude indication of Ativan. Experiencing the following conditions a patient should undergo special tests and need dose adjustment before taking Ativan:

• allergy to lorazepam or other benzodiazepines (e.g. alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene), diazepam (Valium), oxazepam (Serax))
• narrow-angle glaucoma
• asthma
• emphysema
• bronchitis
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
• other breathing problems
• kidney or liver disease
• a history of depression
• suicidal thoughts or behavior
• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

The list of the side effects which may occur as a result of using lorazepam is incomplete. If a patient experiences the change of condition of some kind during the treatment process he/she should immediately consult a doctor.

Ativan should be taken exactly as prescribed. A patient following the administration of Ativan should be examined on a regular basis to make shure that the drug does not any harm.

An uninterrupted course of treatment should not last longer than 4 months if a doctor hasn’t made any other prescriptions as Ativan may be habit-forming. Ativan dosage should be reduced gradually according to a doctor’s prescriptions. Otherwise, a patient may experience seizures or other withdrawal symptoms when having stopped using Ativan. Withdrawal symptoms may include:

• tremor
• sweating
• muscle cramps- stomach pain
• vomiting
• unusual thoughts or behavior
• seizures or convulsions.

After having stopped administrating Ativan an individual may experience the same symptoms as he/she experienced before undergoing a course of treatment.

To take Ativan a patient should measure a dose with the help of the special measuring spoon. If a patient does not have a dose-measuring device he/she should ask a doctor or a pharmacist for one.

If a patient misses a dose he/she should apply Ativan as soon as possible. If the time of delay is twice larger than the scheduled break between applying the 1^st and 2^nd dose then a patient should apply 1 dose of Ativan and continue following the schedule prescribed. A patient should not apply a double dose of the medication at a time.

Ativan should not be used by the individuals having alcohol or drug addiction or a history of having such addictions. The patients following the administration of Ativan should diminish their tolerance towards alcohol or any other drugs, especially those which produce sedative action, by stopping using them at all or at least decreasing the dosage as Ativan may aggravate the effect of alcohol and drugs.

Ativan may impair a patient’s attention and slow down his/her reaction. Thus, a patient should not drive or operate any machinery, or do any other actions which demand a high level of attention and concentration at least 24 hours after he/she had administered the medication. Moreover, a patient who has administered Ativan should stay under observation of an adequate adult in case if any of the side effects occur.

A patient experiencing any of the following side effects should immediately get emergency help. The main side effect of Ativan are:

• hives
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• confusion
• depressed mood
• suicidal thoughts or behavior
• self-hurting or thoughts about self-hurting
• hyperactivity
• agitation
• hostility
• hallucinations
• dizziness
• fainting
• drowsiness
• tiredness
• blurred vision
• sleeping disorder
• muscle weakness
• lack of balance or coordination
• amnesia or forgetfulness
• trouble concentrating
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• appetite changes
• other digestion problems
• skin reddishness
• skin rash

The list of the side effects above is incomplete. If a patient experiences any other signs which he/she associates with Ativan administration he/she should consult a doctor.

In case of overdose a patient or a patient’s monitor should immediately contact a doctor or a pharmacist. Overdose symptoms may be the following:

• extreme drowsiness
• confusion
• muscle weakness
• fainting
• coma.

Ativan tablets should be stored at a room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture, heat and light.

Liguid forms of the medication should be stored in a refrigerator.

Ativan should be kept out of reach of children and pets.

Ativan may interact with some preparations. The list of the major interacting medications is below:

• acetaminophen/propoxyphene
• aspirin/caffeine/propoxyphene
• Balacet (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• Clopine (clozapine)
• clozapine
• Clozapine Synthon (clozapine)
• Clozaril (clozapine)
• Darvocet A500 (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• Darvocet-N 100 (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• Darvocet-N 50 (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• Darvon (propoxyphene)
• Darvon Compound 32 (aspirin/caffeine/propoxyphene)
• Darvon Compound-65 (aspirin/caffeine/propoxyphene)
• Darvon-N (propoxyphene)
• Denzapine (clozapine)
• droperidol
• droperidol/fentanyl
• FazaClo (clozapine)
• fluoxetine/olanzapine
• Inapsine (droperidol)
• Innovar (droperidol/fentanyl)
• levomethadyl acetate
• olanzapine
• Orlaam (levomethadyl acetate)
• PC-CAP (aspirin/caffeine/propoxyphene)
• PP-Cap (propoxyphene)
• Propacet 100 (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• propoxyphene
• Propoxyphene Compound 65 (aspirin/caffeine/propoxyphene)
• sodium oxybate
• Symbyax (fluoxetine/olanzapine)
• Trycet (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• Wygesic (acetaminophen/propoxyphene)
• Xyrem (sodium oxybate)
• Zaponex (clozapine)
• Zyprexa (olanzapine)
• Zyprexa Intramuscular (olanzapine)
• Zyprexa Relprevv (olanzapine)
• Zyprexa Zydis (olanzapine)

The list of the medications above is incomplete. For more information a patients should ask a doctor.

The overall clinical study in order to reveal side effects occurring while taking Ativan showed that there’s no difference in side effects between men and women undergoing administration of Ativan. The data recovered from the study is not quite sufficient to tell if there is any race difference in distribution of the side effects of Ativan. Though, the patients older than 65 years showed more adverse events concerning the reaction of the central nervous system which showed up as a central nervous system depression and respiratpry depression.

Clinical studies to reveal the side effects of Ativan were performed by 362 individuals undergoing treatment by Ativan.

The study was classified according to body systems in descending frequency:

• 0.01% of frequency (frequently performed side effects)
• 0.01 to 0.001% of frequency (infrequently performed side effects).

According to this classification the data of the study may be performed in the table:

The main groups of the drugs used to treat anxiety disorders are:

• antidepressants
• anti-anxiety medicines
• burispone.

All the medications of the named groups do not cure anxiety disorders but they help to keep the symptoms under control which helps patients undergoing treatment with the help of such medications to wage a normal way of life.

Myrill Howard, 37, says: I work in an extremely stressful environment. From time to time I experience panic attacks and it really interferes my working process. I went to a doctor and she prescribed ne Ativan. According to the prescription I use it when I feel that I’m losing control and start experiencing severe panic attack. After having taken a dose of 0.5 mg I feel calm and have control over myself.

Sandy Hendricks, 46, says: I’ve been suffering from insomnia for about 5 years. I tried lots of drugs but either felt exhausted next morning or it didn’t work properly. Ativan is the only medication that works for me. I feel energized next morning after taking it. The only drawback for me is that it is very addictive so I can’t use it every night but only when my insomnia gets really bad.

Patrick J. Donohue, 49, says: The only side effect of Ativan that I experience is dry mouth but it doesn’t really bother me as it is just nothing in comparison with panic attacks I suffer when I’m not on. I do some safe breaks according to what my doctor says to me but during the breaks I feel much worse and exhausted.