What is the most important information I should know about zolpidem?
Zolpidem may cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking zolpidem and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Zolpidem will make you fall asleep. Never take this medication during your normal waking hours, unless you have a full 7 to 8 hours to dedicate to sleeping.
Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, eating, or making phone calls and later having no memory of the activity. If this happens to you, stop taking zolpidem and talk with your doctor about another treatment for your sleep disorder.
Zolpidem can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. You may still feel sleepy the morning after taking the medication. Until you know how this medication will affect you during waking hours, be careful if you drive, operate machinery, pilot an airplane, or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Do not drink alcohol while you are taking zolpidem. It can increase some of the side effects of zolpidem, including drowsiness.
Zolpidem may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Zolpidem should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.
It is dangerous to try and purchase zolpidem on the Internet or from vendors outside of the United States. Medications distributed from Internet sales may contain dangerous ingredients, or may not be distributed by a licensed pharmacy. Samples of zolpidem purchased on the Internet have been found to contain haloperidol (Haldol), a potent antipsychotic drug with dangerous side effects. For more information, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or visit www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide.
Important Notes & Disclaimer:
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. (Multum) is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect.
In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and end-users in the United States.
Cerner Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate.
Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve end-users viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.
Healthcare practitioners should use their professional judgment in using the information provided. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient.
Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides.
Copyright 2008 Cerner Multum, Inc. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.
If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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