Ativan dosage
Ativan is basically a drug that is used for the treatment of anxiety. However, it has other uses as well. This medication can be used to treat conditions such as insomnia, severe alcohol withdrawal and seizures in children. Other uses include relaxing muscles and minimizing the impact of chemotherapy in cancer patients. People who take this drug are not advised to take it for long periods of time. Just like any other drug, this type has to be taken according to the prescribed dosage. This article is about ativan dosage.
When it comes to ativan dosage, the drug must never be taken without the guidance of a health professional such as a doctor. The dosage basically depends on the extent of your condition as well as your age. This means that the dose which is given to adults is different to that which is given to a child or to an elderly person.
Ativan dosage for adults
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In most cases, adults are usually advised to take a dose of 2 mg to 6 mg in 24 hours. The overall dosage must be divided into smaller doses. However, you can take the biggest dose when you are about to go to bed. Depending on the severity of your condition, you can take between 1 mg and 10 mg in a single day. This means that if your case is severe, the doctor can prescribe a dose of up to 10 mg per day. However, if the condition is less severe, you can even take 1 mg a day. If you are suffering from insomnia as a result of anxiety, you can take up to 4 mg at once before you go to bed.
Ativan dosage for children
When it comes to children, the safety of this drug has not yet been fully established. This means that doctors do not usually recommend this type of medication to children.
Ativan dosage for the elderly
As far as the elderly are concerned, their daily average should not go past 3 mg on a single day. It is important to try and avoid over sedation. Therefore, although the doses are quite small, they should still be divided into doses which are even smaller, to be taken throughout the day. However, depending on the severity of the ailment, a doctor can even increase the dosage so that the medication will have the required effect.
Over dosage
Just like with every type of drug, this medication must be taken in the right doses. If you overdose, there will be severe consequences. In the event that you overdose, it is extremely important that you seek medical attention instantly. Some of the common symptoms of over dosage include drowsiness, confusion or you can even go into a coma. The importance of following instructions when it comes to ativan dosage cannot be ignored. This is because an overdose can actually be fatal. If you think that you have symptoms associated with anxiety, it is best that you see your doctor as soon as possible. Chances are that the doctor will prescribe this drug for you. .
Is Ativan Addictive?
Yes it is, but why is Ativan addictive? Ativan, which is the brand name for Lorazepam, is one of the many benzodiazepine drugs. This drug has 6 of the benzodiazepine effects: sedative/hypnotic, antiemetic, anxiolytic, muscle relaxant and amnesic. It’s a fast acting drug and it’s normally given to patients for a short period of time. In some cases the drug is misused, that’s when the drug is still taken without any advice from a health practitioner. And in some cases the drug is used for “fun” purposes. Unfortunately the drug is sometimes used for criminal purposes due to its amnesia and sedative/hypnotic effects.
Is Ativan addictive to everyone using it? Everything depends on the individual using it; it also depends on the dosage and period of time the drug is used. Everyone misusing it definitely has an Ativan addiction. If the drug is used for a long period of time it could result in dependency to the drug or a tolerance. Lorazepam is for short term use and only recommended to be used for 2-4 weeks due to the dependency and tolerance of the drug. The drug can also not be stopped without consulting a health practitioner, as you can’t cease use immediately as this will result in Ativan withdrawal. The drugs dosage will be decreased until you are ready to cease use. (This is something you shouldn’t try on your own.)
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Is Ativan addictive when used for longer than 4 weeks? The longer the drug is used, the higher the risks are of developing a dependency to the drug. It’s said that one third of patients using the drug for longer than prescribed become dependent. This happens when the user starts getting Ativan withdrawal symptoms. More frequent use of the drug might lead to a Tolerance of the drug. When this happens the dose is normally increased to maintain the desired effect the drug has. The problem with this is that the user could even build up a tolerance to the higher dosage. The drug is best used in a low dosage for a short period of time to avoid addiction.
Is Ativan addictive to users with an addictive personality? Yes, it is. Normally the drug isn’t given to patients with an alcohol or addictive personality disorder. It’s therefore expected of patients to be honest with their health practitioner before the drug is considered to be prescribed. The drug is also not given to patients with the following conditions: Severe respiratory failure, Pregnancy and breast feeding, Glaucoma, Allergy or hypersensitivity etc. The drug works really fast, that’s one of the reasons it’s only given to users for a short period of time. Small dosages are also recommended due to the drug having a high potential of addiction.
It’s really important that the drug is not taken without a prescription, with alcohol or used to just experience a “high”. There are a lot of negative effects that the drug can have if misused. If you are suffering with Ativan addiction it’s best to consult with your health practitioner or to seek help from a rehabilitation facility. Is Ativan addictive? Yes, it is.
