Generic name: Lorazepam
Brand name: Ativan
What is Ativan?
Ativan (Lorazepam) is a relaxing prescription medication. It is also called a sedative-hypnotic or anxiolytic medicine. Ativan belongs to a category of medications known as benzodiazepines.
Ativan medication is used to treat anxiety symptoms, insomnia (trouble sleeping) and is also used to treat status epilepticus (a type of severe seizure). It is also given before surgery to make you sleep.
There are two types of Ativan:
- Ativan tablets
- Ativan solution for intravenous (IV) injection
Ativan Generic
Ativan is accessible in a generic form called Lorazepam. Generic drugs are often less costly than the brand-name version. Generally, the brand-name drug and the general version may be accessible in different forms and strengths.
Ativan Dosage
Before you buy Ativan online, learn about the medication’s dosage.
The medication dosage your doctor advises will get based on several factors. These include:
- Your age
- The form of medicine you take
- The type as well as the severity of the condition you’re taking Ativan to treat
- Other medical conditions you may have
Generally, your doctor will start your dosage low and balance it over time to reach the dosage, which helps in your treatment. They will, in time, prescribe the smallest dosage that gives the desired effect.
Ativan forms and strengths
- Tablets: Ativan 0.5 mg, Ativan 1 mg, Ativan 2 mg
- Solutions for injection (IV): 2 mg per mL, 4 mg per mL
General dosage information
The usual oral dosage for the Ativan tab is 2 to 6 mg daily. This dosage quantity is mostly divided and should get consumed two or three times daily.
Ativan uses
The food and drug administrations (FDA) endorse drugs to treat various conditions. This medication is endorsed to treat multiple conditions. Also, it’s occasionally used off-label for reasons that are not approved by the FDA.
This medicine is FDA-approved for short-term anxiety symptoms.
It’s mostly used off-label for treating generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
- Ativan for seizures
The IV form of the medication is FDA-approved for treating a severe seizure type known as status epilepticus. With this condition, seizures don’t stop, or a seizure comes after another without giving them time to recover.
- Ativan for sleep/insomnia
This medication is FDA-approved for short-term treatment of insomnia (trouble falling asleep) that’s by anxiety or stress.
People also buy Ativan online for off-label for other types of insomnia. According to the AASM or American Academy of Sleep Medicine, It’s not a first-choice medication for this use.
Non-FDA-approved uses
This medication is also sometimes prescribed off-label. When a drug is approved for one but gets prescribed for another use is called Off-label use.
- Ativan for depression
Ativan and other similar medications got not prescribed to treat depression itself. Although some people who suffer from depression also have symptoms of anxiety or insomnia. In these types of cases, your doctor might prescribe this medicine to reduce those symptoms.
If you only suffer from depression, your doctor will likely prescribe another medicine.
- Ativan for nausea from vertigo
This medication is sometimes used off-label for the short-term treatment of symptoms of vertigo. These symptoms involve vomiting and nausea. In some cases, other medicines with Ativan may be used for this purpose.
Before you buy Ativan online, learn about its side effects.
Ativan side effects
This medication can cause mild or significant side effects. The following list has a few of the critical side effects that may happen while consuming Ativan. This list does not include all possible Ativan side effects. These include:
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Weakness
Some users may also experience fewer chronic side effects such as:
- Confusion
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Agitation
Some of these side effects won’t last more than a week. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects are severe or don’t go away.