Description

Ativan (lorazepam) – Uses, Benefits, Warnings and Safety Information

Ativan (lorazepam) is a medication used to treat a number of conditions. Ativan is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. Your doctor may prescribe it to treat some anxiety disorders , for short-term relief of severe anxiety symptoms , and sometimes for certain medical conditions such as seizures or sedation before a procedure .

But Ativan is a depressant of the central nervous system and may make you drowsy and slow your responses. So it should be only used by people under the proper supervision of a medical professional.

What is Ativan

Ativan is the trade name of the drug lorazepam. It does this by boosting the activity of a natural chemical messenger in the brain known as GABA. This can thus reduce excessive activity of the nervous system, and have a calming effect.

Doctors generally prescribe Ativan cautiously and for the correct amount of time because it can cause dependence and withdrawal problems.

Uses of Ativan

There are many reasons a doctor might prescribe Ativan. These may be:

• Anxiety, acute treatment
• Anxiety symptoms severe
• Some seizure situations
• Sedation as medically necessary, pre-procedural

However, the correct dose and duration of treatment depends on your medical condition, age and other medicines you may be taking. Patients should take the advice of their health professional.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

As with other prescription drugs, Ativan may cause side effects. Side effects may include:

• Sleepiness
• Light headedness :-
• Fragile
• Fatigue
• Less co-ordination
• Concentration problems

Others may develop confusion or memory problems. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience severe sleepiness, breathing difficulties, unusual behaviour, or loss of consciousness.

Important safety advice

Long-term use, or taking Ativan in a way other than how the doctor prescribed, can lead to the medication being habit-forming. Therefore, patients should never increase dose or frequency without medical advice.

Lorazepam with alcohol, opioids or other drugs that cause heavy sedation can also increase the risk of dangerous breathing problems and excessive sedation.

Patients should also inform their healthcare professional about all medicines and supplements they use prior to taking Ativan.

Ativan & Addiction

Physical dependence can occur with regular use of benzodiazepines. If you’ve been taking Ativan regularly then suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms.

For this reason, a healthcare professional may want to reduce the dose rather than stop treatment suddenly. Do not stop taking lorazepam or change dosage without consulting your doctor.

Conclusion

Ativan (lorazepam) can provide important medical benefits when properly prescribed and monitored by a qualified health care provider. But it is not without risks : It can cause drowsiness , impaired coordination , dependence , and withdrawal .

“Patients should take Ativan as prescribed, not take it with alcohol or other sedatives unless directed by their doctor, and talk to their doctor if they have questions about how it works.”