An estimated 9 million people aged 12 and older used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in 1999; more than a quarter of that number reported using prescription drugs non-medically for the first time in the previous year.
Q) What is Ativan?
A) Ativan is the brand name for Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety agent. Ativan is a benzodiazepine and mild tranquilizer, sedative, and central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Ativan is manufactured in pill form as well as liquid form for injection.
Q) How is Ativan used?
A) Ativan tablets are a nearly white powder and are almost insoluble in water. Each Ativan tablet intended for oral use contains .5mg, 1mg, or 2mg of lorazepam. In liquid form Ativan is intended for intramuscular or intravenous use. Each ml or Ativan injection contains either 2.0 or 4.0 mg of lorazepam, 0.18 ml polyethylene glycol 400 in propylene glycol with 2.0% benzyl alcohol as preservative.
Q) When are the effects of Ativan typically felt?
A) The effects of Ativan are usually felt one to five minutes after receiving it intravenously, 15 to 30 minutes after muscular injection, or 1 to 6 hours after oral administration.
Q) Is Ativan considered addictive?
A) Yes, Ativan is very addictive and can cause psychological and physical dependence.
Q) What are the side effects of Ativan?
A) There are many side effects that come with the use and abuse of Ativan, they included but are not limited to:
clumsiness, dizziness, sleepiness, unsteadiness, weakness, amnesia, insomnia, agitation, disorientation, depression, headache, visual problems, nausea, abdominal discomfort, drowsiness, blurred vision, tachycardia, weakness, disinhibition (where they act inappropriately grandiose or out-of-control), anterograde amnesia (decreased or lack of recall of events during period of drug action) has been reported after administration of Ativan and appears to be dose-related, injectable Ativan results in an increased incidence of sedation, hallucination, and irrational behavior, some patients on Ativan have developed leukopenia, both elevation and lowering of blood sugar levels have been reported.
