Ambien: Uses, indications and precautions when using

Sleep disorders, difficulty sleeping or not being able to maintain sleep is a common condition today, leading to an increase in the demand for drugs to treat insomnia, including Ambien. So what is Ambien and how is it used?

What is Ambien ? Ambien is a brand-name drug containing the active ingredient Zolpidem, which belongs to the group of insomnia drugs, indicated for sleep disorders in adults.
In patients with difficulty sleeping, Ambien helps patients fall asleep faster and maintain deeper sleep. The mechanism of action of the drug is to cause a calming effect on the patient's brain.
Ambien is only used for a short time, at most 1 to 2 weeks.

Read the Instructions for Use carefully before starting to use the drug containing the active ingredient zolpidem. Ambien is taken by mouth, should be taken on an empty stomach as directed by your doctor, usually 1 time per night.
The active ingredient zolpidem is fast acting, so patients should take it right before going to bed. Do not take Ambien with food or use it after a meal because food will make the drug ineffective.
Use Ambien when you are sure you have enough time to sleep continuously for at least 7 to 8 hours. If the drinker is forced to wake up earlier than expected, he may experience memory loss and have trouble doing things that require alertness, such as driving or operating machinery.
Ambien dosage is calculated based on gender, age, medical condition, other medications being taken and response to previous treatment. Do not increase your dose, take it more than once a day, or take it longer than prescribed. The dose of zolpidem should not exceed 10 mg/day.

Women are often prescribed a lower dose of Ambien than men because of the slower time it takes to remove the drug from the body. In the elderly, the dose of zolpidem needs to be used lower than in the young to reduce side effects.
If Ambien is suddenly stopped, the patient may develop signs of withdrawal syndrome (such as nausea, vomiting, flushing, stomach cramps, anxiety and tremors). To prevent this, your doctor may reduce your dose of the medication slowly.
Although Ambien works to cure insomnia for many people, it is sometimes addictive for others. The risk of addiction increases if the user has a stimulant use disorder (such as abusing or addicted to drugs or alcohol). Therefore, it is necessary to use the drug exactly as prescribed to reduce the risk of addiction.
When using Ambien insomnia medicine for a long time, the sleeping effect of the drug may decrease or disappear, so it is necessary to discuss with your doctor if the drug is no longer effective.
If the patient's sleep disturbance persists after 7 to 10 days of taking the drug or worsens, the treating physician should be reported immediately.
The patient may have trouble sleeping the first few nights after stopping the drug. This is completely normal and will go away on its own after 1-2 nights. If this insomnia persists longer, contact your treating physician to discuss details.

Dizziness may occur. If dizziness persists or worsens, tell your doctor immediately.
Ambien may make users feel sleepy during the day. Talk to your doctor if this occurs and the dosage may need to be adjusted.
Some side effects when using Ambien insomnia medicine may occur but are not serious:
Memory loss; Mental, mood, or behavioral changes (such as new or worsening depression, unusual thoughts, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, agitation, aggressive behavior, anxiety). Very serious allergic reactions, rarely when taking ambien. However, patients should seek medical help right away if symptoms of a serious allergy develop, including:
Rash ; Itching, swelling of the face, tongue, lips, throat; Dizzy; Shortness of breath. The above are not all possible side effects when taking zolpidem. If the patient has other effects, contact the doctor or pharmacist.

Before taking Ambien, the treating doctor needs to know the patient's history of allergy to the active ingredient zolpidem or any other allergic conditions.
Before starting to use, the patient needs to inform the doctor about the previous medical history, especially: kidney disease, liver disease, mental illness (such as depression, appearance of suicidal thoughts). ), personal or family history of substance use (such as drug or alcohol abuse or addiction), personal or family history of sleepwalking, respiratory conditions (such as pulmonary chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea), myasthenia gravis.
The effects of the insomnia medication zolpidem can last until the next day when you wake up. Therefore, do not use this medicine when you cannot get a full 7-8 hours of sleep each night or when you are taking other medicines that cause drowsiness or increase your sensitivity to the active ingredient zolpidem.
Some patients may experience dizziness or blurred vision, double vision. Alcohol or marijuana makes dizziness worse. Therefore, patients should not drive for at least 8 hours after taking the medication or do any work requiring alertness until you can safely do so.
Children are more sensitive to the side effects of this insomnia medicine, especially dizziness and hallucinations.
Elderly people are more likely to have unwanted effects when using Ambien, especially dizziness, confusion, unsteadiness and excessive drowsiness. These side effects may increase the risk of falls in the elderly, so they should be used with extreme caution.
Pregnant women are only allowed to use this medicine in case of absolute necessity. Babies born to mothers who used Ambien during the third trimester of pregnancy may experience unusual sleepiness, difficulty breathing, or signs of withdrawal.
Small amounts of zolpidem pass into breast milk and may cause undesirable effects on a nursing infant (such as unusual sleepiness, trouble breathing, or unusual weakness).
Immediately contact medical facilities when you notice any abnormal signs in your child. Talk to your doctor about pumping and expressing breast milk for 23 hours after taking Ambien to reduce the risk of unwanted effects.

Drug interactions can affect effects and increase the risk of unwanted effects. Therefore, to reduce drug interactions, tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking before taking zolpidem.
Absolutely do not arbitrarily use, stop or change the dose of any medicine, including ambien without the guidance of a doctor.
One product that may interact with Ambien is Sodium Oxybate. A number of other drugs affect the elimination of zolpidem from the body and the action of this medication for insomnia. These drugs include azole antifungals (such as ketoconazole), rifampin.
The risk of serious side effects (such as slow, shallow breathing, drowsiness, dizziness) is increased if ambien is taken with other drugs that also cause drowsiness or breathing disturbances.
Be sure to talk to your doctor about certain products you are taking such as opioid pain relievers or cough suppressants (such as codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana, sedatives or anxiety relievers (such as alprazolam, lorazepam, zopiclone). ), muscle relaxants (such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).
Check the ingredients in some of the medications the patient is taking, such as anti-allergy or cough-cold medicines, as there may be preparations that cause drowsiness. Consult your pharmacist about using the medicine safely.
Advanced age affects the patient's sleep habits naturally and sleep can be disrupted several times during the night. Talk to your doctor about ways to improve sleep quality without medication, such as limiting caffeine and alcohol at bedtime, avoiding excessive daytime sleep, and developing a bedtime routine. on time every night.
If a dose is missed, the patient should not take it again unless it is certain that there will be time for continuous sleep 7 to 8 hours later.

Reference source: webmd.com