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Ativan (Lorazepam)
Ativan - is a brand name for Lorazepam tablets and injections. Oral Ativan and Ativan injection have similar properties, but different dosage forms of Ativan have different indications for use.
Ativan in common therapeutic practice
Oral tablets Ativan are approved for anxiety treatment and have been used as an anxiolytic since the end of the 70s of the last century.
Long experience of clinical use of oral Ativan allows to state that this anxiolytic significantly improves mental state of:
- Patients with anxiety disorders;
- Patients with anxiety associated with depressive symptoms.
Ativan tablets are not approved for treatment of stress-induced persistent anxiety.
However, if one of the stress consequences is insomnia, Ativan tablets can be administered as a sedative agent:
- to relieve falling asleep
- to improve the quality of nocturnal sleep
Ativan injections are not approved for treatment of psychiatric disorders at home, but can be used to reduce anxiety symptoms after surgery.Additionally, intravenous and intramuscular injections Ativan can be used:
- to control seizures in epileptic patients
- to achieve sedation before surgical procedures
Dosage forms and recommendations for Ativan use
For treatment of various states, different dosage forms and different dosage strengths of Ativan are used. Daily doses of oral Ativan may vary from 0.5mg to 10mg per day.
The maximum recommended dose of oral Ativan for treatment of:
- insomnia is 4 mg per day at once;
- anxiety symptoms is 10mg per day in divided doses.
Standard single dose of Ativan injection for epileptic patients and for patients who require pre- or post-operative sedation is 4mg. Ativan intramuscular injections are used to control epilepsy seizures only in impossibility of injectable administration of this anticonvulsant.
Selection of optimal dose of injectable or oral Ativan allows to achieve significant clinical purposes without causing serious side effects.
Possible side effects and prevention of potential risks
Ativan oral pills and Ativan solution for intravenous or intramuscular administration cause different side effects.
Common side effect of different dosage forms of Ativan is drowsiness. This side effect is caused by the fact that Ativan depresses functions of the central nervous system, thereby causing sedation.
In elderly, Ativan causes excessive drowsiness more often than in other age groups of patients. Therefore, elderly patients, whose social activity is significantly decreased because of drowsiness, can be recommended to reduce the daily dose of Ativan.
Other adverse reactions typical for Ativan injections are as follows:
- respiratory depression;
- decrease in blood pressure.
Oral tablets Ativan, besides drowsiness may cause:
- disequilibrium;
- vertigo;
- asthenia.
It is noteworthy that after application of Ativan tablets, the risk of side effects is higher than after using Ativan injections. However, evaluation of the risk-to-benefit balance of Ativan demonstrates that this antiepileptic / anxiolytic is safe for the patient’s health when complying with the recommended dosing regimen.
Before prescribing Ativan, it is necessary to make sure that the patient has no contraindications to drugs of benzodiazepine group.
Ativan and other benzodiazepines used as anxiolytic or anticonvulsant drugs should not be prescribed to patients with:
- acute glaucoma;
- respiratory failure;
- allergy topharmacological agents of benzodiazepinegroup (including Lorazepam, Diazepam, Clonazepam).
Solution for injections Ativan can be administered intravenously and intramuscularly, but under no circumstances be administered into arteries. Intra-arterial administration of Ativan solution may cause spasm of the artery because of which irreversible, dangerous side effects may occur.
Why Ativan?
Ativan tablets have tranquilizing and anxiolytic effects without causing cardiovascular effects. Therefore, they can be prescribed to relieve anxiety symptoms in men and women with cardiovascular risk factors.
Despite the fact that Ativan has a high potential of abuse, it can be prescribed for symptomatic treatment of anxiety in patients with a history of alcohol or drug dependence. If Ativan was prescribed to drug-dependent patient, use of this anxiolytic should be discontinued when arising the first signs of abuse.
Often, symptoms of anxiety disorderoccurring during pregnancy do not require immediate start of anxiolytic therapy. Therefore, to eliminate the risk of unwanted influence of Ativan on the process of growth and development of the fetus, pregnant women should plan anxiety treatment after the baby's birth.