Ambien

AMBIEN
Generic Name: zolpidem

1. What is it? Why does a patient take it? What effects does it have on the body?
It is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. Ambien is used for the short-termtreatment of insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep). It is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic that potentiates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, by binding to GABAAreceptors at the same location as benzodiazepines. It works usually within 15 minutes and has a short half-life (2–3 hours). This medicine is also indicated for brain injury, coma, to treat restless legsyndrome.

2. Dosage. Length of time it´s taken. How it is taken?
Drug Dose Freq Route 24 h Max
Ambien ® Zolpidem 10 mg On PO 20 mg

Give the patient ten milligrams of Ambien at night by mouth upto a maximum of 20 milligrams.
Ambien should not be prescribed in quantities exceeding a 1-month supply.

3. Possible side effects
• Ambien can cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking if youhave any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• This medicine can cause depressed mood, thoughts of hurting yourself;unusual thoughts, decreased inhibitions, anxiety, aggression, feeling restless, hallucinations, confusion, and loss of personality.
• If you are sensitive to lactose may experience nausea, diarrheaand constipation
• You may feel daytime drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, stuffy nose, sore throat and headache.
• Under the influence of the drug, patients may take more zolpidem than is necessary
•Residual 'hangover' effects such as sleepiness, impaired psychomotor and cognitive after nighttime administration may persist into the next day

4. List of 3 groups of people who should not takeit. Why?
a) People who are allergic to zolpidem because of the allergic reaction
b) People who have kidney disease because Ambien is eliminated by the kidney so it increases half- life and it can be...