The medication Xanax or Alprazolam belongs to the group of antidepressants that relieve tension, and neuroses, and eliminate fears, and depression.
At one time, the drug was widely used to treat the nervous system, but now its state registration period has expired, and it is very difficult to find the medicine in pharmacies.
What is Xanax?
Anxiety, social phobia, and various fears can easily become the companions of a modern person whose psyche is subjected to constant stress in the face of multiple streams of information. In this situation, Xanax is a benzodiazepine, a common property of which is the ability to slow down the excitation of the nervous system.
Being a psychoactive substance, it begins to act quickly, having a calming effect on the body. The drug requires careful use, as it can be dangerous when combined with other medications.
Action
Xanax has a very active potentiation: 1 mg is equivalent to 1 g of Valium. The drug has an anxiolytic effect (elimination of anxiety) and a muscle relaxant effect (reduction of muscle tension). The drug activates the receptors involved in the perception of sedatives, helps to slow down nerve impulses through the liberation of gamma-aminobutyric acid, and reduces anxiety. Xanax (Alprazolam) is rapidly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, reaching its maximum concentration in the blood in an hour and a half.
Indications for use
The medicine belongs to tranquilizers, so it should be used with the available direct indications and with the permission of a doctor.
Self-medication with the drug can be addictive, and when combined with other sedatives, cause severe side effects. Indications for use are as follows:
- Reactive-depressive neurotic states;
- Anxious endogenous depression with sleep disturbance, mood deterioration, apathy to the world around, decreased cognitive function, suicidal, thoughts, and other forms of depression;
- Neuroses and anxiety along with insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and somatic disorders;
- Panic and fear attacks.
Instructions for use of Xanax
The tranquilizer tablets should be taken with water (at least a glass), and swallowed completely. Crushing or breaking should be avoided. Doses are prescribed by a physician based on the minimum effective dose. During treatment, the results are monitored and corrected. Dosage increases should be started in the evening.
The initial dose of the tranquilizer is 250-500 mcg three times a day. The increase should not exceed 4.5 mg per day with a clear agreement with the doctor. For the elderly or sick and weak patients, the initial dose of the drug with a hypnotic effect is no more than 250 mcg two to three times a day, and the maintenance dose of alprazolam is 500-750 mcg per day. Discontinuation and dose reduction should be done gradually, reducing the dose by no more than 500 mcg every three days or even more slowly.
Drug interaction
The active substance of alprazolam can interact with other drug components in complex therapy:
- It can cause CNS depression together with psychotropic, anticonvulsant, ants, and ethanol;
- Histamine receptor blockers and macrolide antibiotics reduce the clearance of alprazolam, aggravate the syndrome of nervous system depression;
- Hormonal contraceptives increase the half-life of the drug;
- Dextropropoxyphene causes CNS depending on the session, and increases alprazolam concentration;
- When combined with Digoxin, there is a risk of intoxication with cardiac glycosides;
- Alprazolam increases the concentration of Imipramine in the blood, the effect is enhanced by the use of Itraconazole, Ketoconazole, Paroxetine, Fluvoxamine, Fluoxetine;
- The effect of the drug may be enhanced in combination with Erythromycin.
Contraindications
The drug is contraindicated in certain categories of patients due to severe negative reactions of the body to the active substance.
Factors under which the use of Xanax is prohibited:
- hypersensitivity;
- coma, shock;
- closed-angle glaucoma;
- myasthenia gravis;
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
- alcohol poisoning, intoxication with psychotropic drugs or drugs - analgesics;
- pregnancy;
- night apnea;
- severe depression;
- age under 18 years.
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