One common sleep problem that negatively impacts sleep patterns is insomnia. About 10–30%↗ of persons worldwide are affected, and more women than males are diagnosed with it.

When someone has insomnia, they may struggle with one or more symptoms. These might include short sleep durations, difficulties going to sleep and staying asleep through the night, waking up too early, and difficulty falling back asleep. Insomnia impacts a person’s physical and emotional well-being since an adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep every day in order to operate properly.

Physicians advise treating insomnia with a non-pharmacologic intervention as the first line of treatment. These include adopting healthy lifestyles, relaxing methods, and cognitive-behavioral treatment. The doctor may recommend medication, such as Ambien, to treat insomnia if the non-pharmacological approach is ineffective. Let’s read more about this medication and its effectiveness in this post.

Describe Ambien.

The FDA has authorized↗ the prescription drug Ambien for the treatment of insomnia. Zolpidem Tartrate is another generic name for the medication. It is categorized as a GABA agonist that is not benzodiazepine. It helps those who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Short-term insomnia can be effectively treated with Ambien, and the lowest dosage is often recommended.

Because Zolpidem can lead to reliance and tolerance, health guidelines advise using it as a second-line treatment following a psychotherapy trial. It may lead to pharmaceutical abuse in both situations. Because of this, Ambien generics are classified as Schedule IV medicines and are under DEA oversight to reduce the possibility of abuse and dependency.

The Mechanism of Action of Zolpidem

Ambien promotes and enhances sleep by increasing the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) molecules in the brain. The procedure helps someone fall asleep by calming and slowing down brain activity. Both the immediate-release and the extended-release (Ambien CR) forms of Ambien are available.

Immediately after consumption, the immediate-release medication dissolves and helps the patient fall asleep quickly. The expanded form of Zolpidem contains two layers. The first layer dissolves immediately after consumption, promoting rapid slumber. To keep a person sleeping, the second layer progressively disappears.

Ambien Dosage

There are three forms of Ambien medication: oral spray, oral tablet, and extended-release pill. While extended-release pills come in 6.25 mg and 12.5 mg strengths, immediate-release medications come in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets. Additionally, it comes as an oral spray that may be sprayed on the tongue and a sublingual tablet that can be placed beneath the tongue. The dose is given in 5 mg or 10 mg tablets, depending on the patient’s sleep quality.

For older adults, 5 mg is the recommended daily amount; for women, this is the starting dose; and for males, it can be either 5 mg or 10 mg. A daily dose of 6.25 mg of the extended-release tablet is recommended, with a maximum dose of 12.5 mg. Seven to eight hours before the scheduled wake-up time, the drug is given just before bed. Ambien slows down its effects; therefore, it is best to avoid taking it with or just after eating.

Contraindications of Zolpidem

The only known contraindication to using Ambien to treat insomnia is a known allergy to zolpidem tartrate or any of its other components. Additionally, a person with any of the following conditions should exercise caution when using Zolpidem to treat insomnia unless directed by a physician:

• Adverse sleep apnea
• malfunction of the kidneys
• Liver illness
• Children’s patients
• Psychotic disorder
• Being pregnant
• Diseases of the respiratory system
• Gravis myasthenia
• A nursing mother
• Alcoholism or drug abuse addiction
• A patient should disclose to their healthcare provider any other medications, vitamins, supplements, or herbal therapies they are taking for safety concerns.

Warnings Associated with Ambien Use

In rare instances, some individuals have had strange side effects from the drug.

For example, once the effects of the drug wear off, some persons do not recall doing the following activities:

• made and consumed meals.
• made phone calls
• Sleep-walked
• had a sexual encounter
• Motivated by sleep

Side Effects of Ambien

Like most drugs, Ambien may have modest adverse effects, some of which may be managed without a prescription.

Some of Zolpidem’s adverse effects↗ are listed below:

• Modifications in appetite, heartburn, or constipation
• Having trouble staying balanced, feeling lightheaded, or being sleepy
• Dry mouth, throat, or tongue stinging or burning
• Nausea, exhaustion, or headache
• Pain in the stomach, tremors or shivers throughout the body, or muscle discomfort
• Severe menstrual flow
• Odd dreams
• Diarrhea

Someone should get in touch with a doctor immediately if they encounter any of the following serious symptoms:

• Inflammation of the cheeks, lips, tongue, throat, or eyes
• Itching, rash, or hives
• Having trouble swallowing
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Yellow eyes or skin
• Vision problems such as blurriness
• Constriction of the throat or chest
• Delusions
• An inability to regulate the movement of muscles

Symptoms of Ambien Withdrawal

The doctor progressively reduces the dosage to avoid withdrawal symptoms. When Zolpidem is abruptly stopped after prolonged usage or high dosages, withdrawal symptoms are likely to occur.

Symptoms of Ambien withdrawal include:

• Flushing
• cramps in the stomach
• Anxiety
• Shaking body
• Throwing up
• Convulsions↗
• Attacks of panic
• Delusions

In conclusion

Although there are several safety precautions to be taken when using Ambien, an FDA-approved short-term insomnia drug, it works well. It’s crucial to take medication according to the doctor’s instructions for safety reasons. A health professional should be consulted right away for a review in the event of serious side effects or withdrawal symptoms.