Ativan – Introduction:
Ativan is a medication used to treat patients suffering from anxiety and panic disorders. The original name of the medication is Lorazepam, and it belongs to a family of drugs, benzodiazepines. The medication (Ativan) works on the brain and the central nervous system.
Ativan benefits the patients to get treated with panic and anxiety, and other psychological conditions. There are certain neurotransmitters in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. The neurotransmitters help the patient regulate sleep, giving a sense of relaxation.
Ativan benefits the patient to get relieved from anxiety and panic attacks. It is by acting on these neurotransmitters to aid a feeling of relaxation.
The patient should consult a doctor before taking the Ativan Medication. The doctor should diagnose the patient's condition and age before giving the right prescription.
The drug is generally taken in oral form. In some cases, the drug should be taken regularly for better benefits. The Ativan medication takes between 20 to 30 minutes to start working, and it lasts in the body for a maximum of 8 hours.
Ativan can be consumed both with or without food. People used to consume Ativan with food when they have gastro-related issues. Sometimes, gastro-related problems can be caused by Ativan side effects due to the medication's long-term consumption. In such cases, the doctor examines the patient and lowers medication usage.
Ativan injection can also be prescribed for patients with severe panic attacks and anxiety, where the patient should be treated immediately.
Interactions:
Sometimes when a medication is consumed along with other drugs, it may cause serious interactions that may cause serious side effects to the patient. Thus, the patient should share the complete medical history with the medications currently consumed to the doctor during diagnosis.
The medication should not be consumed with antianxiety medicines, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antihistamines, etc. The doctor should be very careful while prescribing the Ativan since it may cause severe Ativan Side Effects.
Side effects:
The usage of Ativan can cause Ativan side effects. The Ativan side effects can be simple to severe.
The common simple Ativan side effects the patient may get are blurred vision, dizziness, and drowsiness.
And when it comes to severe Ativan Side Effects, the patient may get psychological side effects like hallucinations, getting suicidal thoughts, etc.
The patient may also get mood swings, breathing difficulties, seizures, etc. When a side effect persists for a longer duration, it is advised that a patient should visit a doctor immediately.
Withdrawal symptoms of Ativan:
Once the patients stop using the Ativan medication, they'll have withdrawal symptoms. Common withdrawal symptoms include seizures, psychological changes, insomnia, memory loss, etc.
So, the patients should not stop consuming Ativan suddenly. They should consult the doctor before planning to stop the medication. The doctor tests the patient to check whether the condition is relieved and lowers the dose slowly.
Withdrawal symptoms caused by Ativan last for a longer time when compared to withdrawal symptoms caused by other medications. The withdrawal symptoms may persist for a maximum of 4 weeks in the worst cases when the drug is caused at higher doses or consumed for a longer duration.
Warnings:
The most considerable risk if using Ativan is that it has the ability to cause addiction. So, the patient should regularly consult the doctor to avoid these complexities.
The doctor also has the responsibility to diagnose the patient thoroughly, considering all their allergies and existing medical conditions before prescribing the Ativan medication.
When the patient has overdosed, the patient may get breathing difficulties, and the doctor should address these severe Ativan side effects quickly since they may lead to fatality.
The patient should be precautious when they use Ativan. Certain conditions arise while using Ativan or after completing the Ativan doses.
Patients may get liver issues, lung issues, sleep apnea, depression, and suicidal thoughts, etc. When any symptom arises addressing these underlying issues, the patient should immediately consult the doctor for altering the dosage.
The pregnant patient should be very cautious while consuming the Ativan since the mother can pass the medication to the child through breastfeeding. When required, the doctor can examine the patient to adjust the dosage.
The symptoms should not be used for patients who have myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis is a condition that causes muscle weakness. Since Ativan medication has muscle relaxation properties, the medication may severe the symptoms.
Also, patients who consumed alcohol should not be prescribed Ativan since it causes serious side effects. In severe cases, the consumption may even cause fatality.
A short history of Ativan:
The Ativan medication was in the year, 1963 and the drug came to use in the USA by 1977. A study conducted in 2018 shows more than 13 million prescriptions of Ativan medication for multiple patients.
Other than treating anxiety and panic attacks, the medication can be used as a sedative agent and was historically used during anesthesia procedures. Even the medication is used to sedate a patient who is about to receive mechanical ventilation.