Ambien is a popular sleep aid. Its availability makes many people see it as harmless. However Ambien abuse comes with serious health risks. These risks can be immediate, short term, or long term. Ambien is a tranquilizer drug.

I am 70, have had sleep problems, and have started to take Ambien every night. It seems to be working very well. Is it okay if I keep on taking it? When Ambien the generic name is zolpidem was approved by the FDA in the early s, it was supposed to be an improvement over the benzodiazepines like lorazepam Ativan and triazolam Halcion because "should ambien be used long term" acted in a more targeted way adverse reaction to azithromycin didn't stay in the body as long. Other nonbenzodiazepines were subsequently approved, including Sonata zaleplon and Lunesta eszopiclone.

What is Ambien Used For? Ambien should ambien be used long term a sedative medication meant to be used short-term to treat insomnia. The disruption in motor skills, short-term memory and extreme sedation can lead to adverse consequences. It is the sleep medication known to cause sleepwalking, sleep eating and even sleep driving after use, with no recollection of doing so the next day.

A lot of people suffer from insomnia, which accounts for the popularity of various sleep aid medications. Ambien, one of these prescription drugs, is commonly used by people who struggle with getting to and staying asleep. For a number of prescription sleep aids, the potential for dependence or even addiction has long been recognized as a risk. While the medication in Ambien is considered to not have a similar risk, it has nevertheless been targeted for abuse by people wanting to get high, as well as those who are attempting to self-treat insomnia, depression , or other mental health disorders without consulting their doctors.

Everyday Health Sleep Disorders Insomnia.

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs used to treat short-term insomnia, anxiety, and sometimes epilepsy. Although clinical guidelines recommend against the long-term use of benzodiazepines, particularly in elderly people with a greater risk of side effects, chronic benzodiazepine use is common in older populations. The associated risk was observed even in people who had previously used a benzodiazepine for at least six months but had stopped using it at least a year before their diagnosis of dementia. It is not completely clear if the risk comes from benzodiazepines or from the health conditions for which benzodiazepines are regularly prescribed. Both anxiety and sleep disorders are potential risk factors for dementia. The scientists leading this study did attempt to control for these risk factors and still observed an increased risk from benzodiazepine use. Scientists do not yet know why benzodiazepines might accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease. This study reinforces what most clinicians already know—benzodiazepines should not be the first line of treatment. When they are used, they should be used in the short-term only. September 12, Aaron Carman, PhD.

When you take Ambien correctly, it can make you feel relaxed, comfortable and sleepy. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency classifies the prescription drug Ambien as a Schedule IV drug; 1 this means that should ambien be used long term cannot possess or use the drug without a prescription from a doctor. The reason that the Drug Enforcement Agency regulates this drug is because it's potentially dangerous.

be should term long ambien used

Zolpidem is sold commercially under the names Ambien and Intermezzo and has been available in generic form for several years. The technical name is N,N-dimethyl 6-dimethylp-tolyl imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinyl acetamide and the formula is C19H21N3O.

Medically reviewed on May 1, Zolpidem is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. It affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with sleep problems insomnia. Zolpidem is used to treat insomnia.

It's unlikely you'll become dependent on zolpidem Should ambien be used long term. Ambien and similar sleep medications can be effective, and they're much less likely to be habit-forming than some other drugs sometimes prescribed for sleep problems — for example, benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam Xanaxlorazepam Ativan or temazepam Restoril. But there can be concerning side effects.

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