What is Xanax?
Alprazolam is a prescription medication used to treat anxiety disorder (a condition most closely associated with the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual [DSM-III-R] diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder) or to provide temporary relief from anxiety symptoms. For a period of time, generalized anxiety disorder (also called anxiety) is characterized by unrealistic or excessive anxiety and worry about life circumstances. Generally, anxiety or tension disorders associated with the stress of daily life do not require treatment with this medication. Alprazolam pills are also used to treat panic disorders associated with or without agoraphobia. Additionally, this medication is used to treat anxiety associated with depression.
Alprazolam is a member of the benzodiazepine class of medications. Benzodiazepines are anti-anxiety medications.
This medication must be prescribed by a physician and is only available with a valid prescription.
Pregnant women should not take this medicine. The use of this medication during pregnancy may have a negative effect on the baby’s health.
Xanax uses
Panic disorder
- Alprazolam is an effective treatment for mild to moderate anxiety and panic attacks. However, since the development of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, it is no longer a first-line treatment. Alprazolam is no longer recommended for panic disorder treatment in Australia due to concerns about tolerance, dependence, and abuse. The majority of evidence indicates that alprazolam’s benefits in treating panic disorder last only four to ten weeks. Individuals with panic disorder, on the other hand, have been treated openly for up to eight months without apparent loss of benefit.
- Alprazolam is FDA-approved in the United States for the treatment of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) recommends alprazolam for treatment-resistant panic disorder with no history of tolerance or dependence.
Anxiety disorders
- Alprazolam is effective for anxiety associated with depression. Clinical studies have demonstrated that the effectiveness of this medication is limited to four months in the treatment of anxiety disorders. However, research into alprazolam’s antidepressant properties is limited and has focused exclusively on its short-term effects against depression. One study found that some long-term, high-dosage alprazolam users developed reversible depression.Â
- Alprazolam is FDA-approved in the United States for the treatment of anxiety disorders (a condition most closely matching the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder) or for the short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. Alprazolam is recommended in the United Kingdom for the short-term (2–4 weeks) treatment of severe acute anxiety.
Nausea as a side effect of chemotherapy
- Alprazolam may be used in combination with other medications to treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
Dosage of Xanax
Adult Typical Dose for Anxiety:
• Immediate-release tablets: 0.25 to 0.5 mg three times daily orally
• Maximum daily dose: 4 mg
Adult Dose Typical for Panic Disorder:
• Immediate-release tablets: 0.5 mg three times daily orally
• Maximum daily dose: 10 mg
Tablets with extended-release:
• Initial dose: 0.5 to 1 mg once day orally
• Maintenance dose: 3–6 mg orally daily, preferably first thing in the morning
• Maximum daily dose: 10 mg
Alprazolam side effects
Seek emergency medical attention if you develop the following symptoms of a Xanax allergy: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Alprazolam can cause breathing difficulties or cessation, particularly if you have recently used an opioid medication or alcohol. If you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue lips, or are having difficulty waking up, the person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention.
Consult your physician immediately if you have:
- Breathing that is sluggish or shallow
- A lightheaded sensation, as if you’re about to pass out
- A convulsion
- Delusions, reckless behavior
- Increased energy and decreased sleepiness
- Racing thoughts, agitation, or excessive talkativeness
- Double vision
- Yellowing of the skin (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
- In older adults, drowsiness or dizziness may last longer. Take care to avoid falling or sustaining an accidental injury.
Typical xanax side effects include the following:
- Drowsiness
- Having a lightheaded sensation
After stopping Xanax, seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms: unusual muscle movements, increased activity or talkativeness, abrupt and severe changes in mood or behavior, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, or suicidal thoughts or actions.
Certain withdrawal symptoms may last up to 12 months or longer after abruptly discontinuing this medication. Inform your doctor if you are experiencing persistent anxiety, depression, memory or thinking problems, difficulty sleeping, ringing in your ears, a burning or prickly sensation, or a crawling sensation beneath your skin.
Interaction with other medicines
• Drug interactions may impair the effectiveness of your medications or increase your risk of experiencing serious side effects. This document is not exhaustive in its coverage of possible drug interactions. Maintain a list of all products you use (including prescription/over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Without your doctor’s approval, do not begin, stop, or change the dosage of any medication.
• The following products may interact with this medication: kava, sodium oxybate.
• Other medications may impair the elimination of alprazolam from your body, impairing the way alprazolam works. Among them are azole antifungals (such as itraconazole and ketoconazole), cimetidine, certain antidepressants (such as fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and nefazodone), HIV medications (such as delavirdine and protease inhibitors such as indinavir), macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), rifamycins (such as rifabutin), St. John’s
• If this medication is combined with other products that may cause drowsiness or breathing problems, the risk of serious side effects (such as slow/shallow breathing, severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased. Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medications, including opioid pain relievers (codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana (cannabis), other sedatives or anxiety medications (diazepam, lorazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants (carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), or antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).
Information on safety
• When combined with certain medications, alprazolam may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma. Inform your doctor if you are taking or intend to take certain opiate medications for cough, such as codeine (in Triacin-C, in Tuzistra XR) or hydrocodone (in Anexsia, in Norco, in Zyfrel), or for pain, such as codeine (in Fiorinal), fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Subsys, others), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo), me (Conzip, Ultram, in Ultracet). Your doctor may need to adjust your medication dosages and will closely monitor you. If you are taking alprazolam in combination with any of these medications and experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention immediately: unusual dizziness, lightheadedness, excessive sleepiness, slowed or trouble breathing, or unresponsiveness. Ascertain that your caregiver or family members are aware of any potentially critical symptoms so they can contact a doctor or seek emergency medical care on your behalf if you are unable to seek treatment on your own.
• Alprazolam has the potential to develop into a habit. Do not increase the dose, take it more frequently, or for a longer period of time than your doctor prescribes. Inform your physician if you have ever consumed excessive amounts of alcohol, if you currently use or have ever used street drugs, or if you have ever abused prescription medications. During your treatment, abstain from alcohol and street drugs. Consuming alcohol or street drugs while taking alprazolam increases your risk of experiencing these serious, life-threatening side effects. Additionally, inform your physician if you currently have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.
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• Alprazolam may cause physical dependence (a condition in which unpleasant physical symptoms occur when a medication is abruptly discontinued or taken in smaller doses), particularly if it is taken for several days to several weeks. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking this medication or reduce the dose. Stopping alprazolam abruptly can aggravate your condition and result in withdrawal symptoms that can last several weeks to over a year. Your doctor will most likely gradually decrease your alprazolam dose. If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention: unusual movements; ringing in the ears; anxiety; memory problems; difficulty concentrating; sleep problems; seizures; shaking; muscle twitching; changes in mental health; depression; a burning or prickling sensation in the hands, arms, legs, or feet; seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear; thoughts of harming or killing yourself or others; overexcitement; or losing touch with reality.
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