You are not alone if you or your loved one experiences insomnia or anxiety. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nearly 30% of the U.S. population finds sleeping difficult; other estimates are even higher. Almost 40 million American adults suffer from Anxiety disorders every year.
Two widely prescribed medications for these conditions are described below, i.e., Ambien (for insomnia) and Xanax (for anxiety/panic attacks).
Both medications are safe and effective alone, but what if they are taken in combination?
Let's begin to study more.
Ambien is an imidazopyridine non-Benzodiazepine. These drugs typically have a calming and depressing effect on the brain. Ambien interacts with GABA and the central nervous system inducing relaxation and sleepiness.
Ambien is known to be habit-forming. The duration of treatment should be only short-term.Â
Ambien is a prescription medication for cases of insomnia in adults who have difficulty falling asleep and other sleep issues.Â
Zolpidem works as a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a receptor chloride channel modulator/agonist that increases GABA inhibitory effects.
It activates these receptors, resulting in sedative effects that help maintain deep sleep. It improves the total sleep time while decreasing sleep latency and nocturnal awakening frequency.
Indicated for the short-term treatment of adults who have trouble falling asleep (insomnia)
Indicated for anxiety, migraine, and neurological conditions; to relieve stress.
When traveling to new time zones upsets regular sleep habits, people frequently use Ambien to lessen the effects of jet lag.
In an experimental setting, zolpidem proved to help patients regain consciousness after suffering brain damage from a stroke or other trauma. According to a recent Stanford University study, mice treated with low dosages of zolpidem recovered from stroke more swiftly.
When traveling to new time zones upsets regular sleep habits, Ambien is frequently used as a means to lessen the effects of jet lag.
Xanax (Alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It calms the neuronal activity in the brain. Xanax has the potential for abuse.
Due to this, users often combine Xanax with other addictive substances, raising the risk of an overdose and having deadly effects.
The action of Xanax is due to the potentiation of the neuronal inhibition mediated by gamma-aminobutyric acid. It works by increasing the reuptake of GABA in the brain, thereby decreasing levels of abnormal excitement or anxiety.Â
The optimum dosage of Xanax should be individualized based on the severity of the symptoms and individual patient responses.
The usual starting dosage for Xanax tablets:Â
| Side Effects Of Ambien | Side effects of Xanax |
|
Drowsiness and fatigue |
Drowsiness or sedation |
|
Headaches |
Talkativeness |
|
Lightheadedness and dizziness |
Dry mouth |
|
Hallucinations |
Headaches and sensitivity to light |
|
Sleepwalking |
Severe memory issues |
|
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors |
Addiction |
Generally speaking, you should not take Xanax and Ambien together. Both Ambien and Xanax are CNS depressants that increase the effects of GABA. As a result, those with both insomnia and Anxiety should not take the two drugs together.
When combined, it may exacerbate the side effects of either one or both of them. Both have similar side effects; therefore, they can potentiate the side effects when taken together.
Both are also recognized to have habit-forming qualities that frequently result in dependency and addiction.Â
The combined effects of the two medications increase their respective side effects. They both have CNS depressive properties, so combining them could cause the CNS to become permanently depressed. Sedation, respiratory depression, and overdose could arise from this.
The adverse outcomes of combining Ambien and Xanax are as follows:
The effects of combining Ambien and Xanax could be lethal. Both drugs are highly addictive and habit-forming. Therefore, combining the two could result in polydrug addiction.
Polydrug Dependence - A person who develops a polydrug addiction uses two or more drugs concurrently. Zolpidem and alprazolam are well-known addiction triggers, people who use them both around the same time run the risk of becoming dependent on them. Polydrug addiction frequently leads to overdoses that can be lethal, deteriorating physical and mental health conditions.
Overdose
 Mixing Ambien and Xanax can sometimes lead to a fatal overdose. The use of two CNS depressants at the same time can severely impact bodily functions and organs.
The symptoms of overdose include:
The recommendation of this or any combination usually comes from the physician, but the combination of Ambien and Xanax is generally not preferred. Ambien and Xanax are both regulated drugs and have the potential for abuse and dependence.
These two depressants, when combined, aggravate the side effects of one another and may decrease the CNS's function to an excessive degree, resulting in an overdose.
It may substantially raise the risk of addiction. The potential to cause physical dependence might result in withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop using them.
