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What is Ambien?
Ambien is available as the brand name for Zolpidem and is primarily used to treat sleeping problems temporarily. Ambien reduces the sleep onset time by about 15 minutes, and when taken at large doses, Ambien helps people stay asleep longer. This drug is available in oral spray, conventional tablets, or sublingual tablets. Ambien must be taken by mouth. Guidelines suggest that Ambien medication should be used only after implementing behavioral changes, like sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.
Ambien is a nonbenzodiazepine Z drug that acts as a sedative and hypnotic. Ambien is a GABAA receptor agonist of the imidazopyridine class. Ambien works by increasing GABA effects in the central nervous system by binding to GABAA receptors at the exact location of benzodiazepines. Ambien generally has a half-life of two to three hours. This, however, is increased in those with liver problems.
How should I take Ambien?
It would be best if you took Ambien by mouth on an empty stomach, as the doctor directs, generally once a night. Since Ambien acts fast, take it right before going to bed. Don’t take Ambien with or after a meal because it won’t work as quickly. Place the Ambien tablet under your tongue and let it dissolve. Don’t swallow the pill or take it with water. Although rarely, Ambien drug causes temporary short-term memory loss. To minimize the chance of the same, don’t take a dose of Ambien unless you have enough time for a whole night’s sleep of a minimum of seven to eight hours.
Side effects of Ambien
The most common side effects of short-term use of Ambien include diarrhea, dizziness, and drowsiness. The common side effects of long-term use of Ambien include sore throat, drugged feeling, heart palpitations, amnesia, abnormal dreams, flu-like symptoms, depression, sinusitis, sleep disorder, and back pain. Ambien increases the risk of depression, poor driving, falls and bone fracture, and suppressed respiration. Lower and upper respiratory infections are also common.
Residual ‘hangover’ effects, like impaired psychomotor and cognitive function and sleepiness, may persist into the day following nighttime consumption. Such effects can impair the ability of its users to drive safely, and it also may increase the risks of falls and bone fractures.