Can Ambien cause sudden death?

Can Ambien cause sudden death?

An Ambien overdose causes extreme drowsiness, loss of motor coordination, unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, and death. When combined with alcohol or other sedatives, the risk of a fatal overdose is even greater.

Does zolpidem shorten your life?

Hypnotic sleeping pills could even shorten your life: A 2012 study published in Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that use of hypnotics such as Ambien and Restoril is associated with a nearly five-fold increased risk of early death.

How many mg of zolpidem is safe?

Adults—5 milligrams (mg) for women and 5 or 10 mg for men once a day at bedtime. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, do not take more than 10 mg per day. Take only 1 dose a night as needed.

Is zolpidem bad for your kidneys?

Zolpidem (applies to Ambien) renal dysfunction Limited data suggest that the pharmacokinetic disposition of zolpidem is not altered in the presence of renal insufficiency or even end-stage renal disease, and that there is no accumulation of unchanged drug after repeated dosing.

Is it bad to take Ambien for years?

Others may develop a problem with Ambien after using the medication for recreational reasons. No matter what the original cause of addiction may be, long-term Ambien use can have hazardous effects on the user’s physical health, psychological wellbeing, job performance, and home life.

What are the long-term side effects of zolpidem?

Zolpidem increases risk of depression, falls and bone fracture, poor driving, suppressed respiration, and has been associated with an increased risk of death. Upper and lower respiratory infections are also common (experienced by between 1 and 10% of people).

Can You overdose on Ambien (zolpidem)?

Overmedication — Taking more zolpidem than what is prescribed can put a person at an increased risk of overdose. Combining Ambien With Other Substances — Using Ambien in conjunction with other substances, most notably alcohol, can drastically contribute to the potential for overdose.

What are the treatment options for Zolpidem overdose?

Zolpidem overdose can be treated with the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil, which displaces zolpidem from its binding site on the benzodiazepine receptor to rapidly reverse the effects of the zolpidem. It is unknown if dialysis is helpful.

How common is zolpidem abuse?

Zolpidem abuse is increasingly common. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [1] shares, “The number of zolpidem-related emergency department (ED) visits involving adverse reactions increased nearly 220 percent from 6,111 visits in 2005 to 19,487 visits in 2010.”

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