Dosing regimen
- To speed up sleep onset and reduce the number of nocturnal awakenings, it is better to use Ambien CR. The use of this hypnotic will help you effectively get rid of intermittent sleep with frequent awakenings and will quickly improve its quality.
- If your insomnia is caused by the delayed sleep phase syndrome, it is better to give preference to the immediate release Ambientablets, which will quickly shorten the period of falling asleep and increase the total sleepduration.
To treat insomnia and sleep disturbances, patients take 10 mg of Ambien per day just before bedtime. Elderly people or patients, who suffer from hepatic insufficiency, are prescribedthis hypnoticin a dose of 5 mg.
The hypnotic effect develops rapidly. Approximately 15 minutes after the drug intake, the person already falls asleep.
- To increase the duration of night sleep and reduce the number of nocturnal awakenings, the daily dose of this hypnotic for women is one 6.25 mg tablet of Ambien CR per day, just before bedtime.
- Studies have shown that Ambien CR clearance in men is higher than that of women, so men can start insomnia therapy with 6.25 mg or 12.5 mg of Ambien CR per day.
Regardless of the chosen formulation of Ambien pills, patient should make sure that he has enough time left for a continuous seven-hour sleepbefore he usesthis hypnotic.
If a patient doesn’t have enough time for a full sleep, he should better avoid taking the hypnotic. Otherwise, the daytime wakefulness will be accompanied by drowsiness and slowing of mental and motor reactions.
Each course of Ambien treatment should not exceed 4 weeks. If the insomnia symptoms have worsened or remained unchanged, you should contact a specialist.
Clinical studies have established that Ambien, has minimal capacity for accumulation in the body and is well tolerated, when used in recommended doses. This hypnotic is characterized by a minimum number of side effects.
Undesirable reactions
The most common complaints in people on Ambien are headache, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea and a feeling of intoxication. In older patients, the use of hypnotics can cause confusion and memory impairment.
The risk of side effects increases with the simultaneous use of hypnotics with antidepressants, narcotic analgesics, benzodiazepines, sedatives and antihistamines.
Some drugs taken with Ambien can change its pharmacodynamic properties, thereby reducing/increasing its sedative-hypnotic effect.
Due to the high potential for drug interaction, Ambien should be taken with caution in conjunction with antibiotics (Rifampin, Clarithromycin) and antifungal medications (Ketoconazole). During the use of this hypnotic, it is recommended to stop consuming alcohol.
When a patient needs to stop the insomnia treatment, Ambien dose should be reduced gradually. Abrupt discontinuation of Ambien intake can be accompanied by such undesirable reactions, as fatigue, panic attacks and abdominal discomfort.
Since dependence and withdrawal syndromeare rarely observedin Ambien use, the drug is currently recognized as one of the safest hypnotics.
Ambien will help reduce brain activity, create a sense of peace and help you fall asleep quickly. Ambien promotes sleep onset, prevents night awakenings, and helps to quickly return to a normal liferhythm.
