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Estazolam

Pronounced

"es-TAH-zoe-lam"

Common brand names:

Prosom

Uses

This medication is used to treat a certain sleep problem (insomnia). It may help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and lessen how often you wake up during the night, so you can get a better night's rest. Estazolam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. It acts on your brain to produce a calming effect.

Use of this medication is usually limited to short treatment periods of 1 to 2 weeks or less. If your insomnia continues for a longer time, talk to your doctor to see if you need other treatment.

How to Use This Medication

See also Warning section.

Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using estazolam and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually just before you get into bed. The dosage is based on your medical condition, age, and response to treatment.

Although unlikely, this drug can rarely cause temporary short-term memory loss. To lessen the chance of this, do not take a dose of this drug unless you have time for a full night's sleep of at least 7 to 8 hours. If you have to wake up before that, you may have some memory loss.

When this medication is used for a long time, it may not work as well. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.

Though it helps many people, this medication may sometimes cause addiction. This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder (such as overuse of or addiction to drugs/alcohol). Take this medication exactly as prescribed to lower the risk of addiction. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Tell your doctor if your condition lasts after 7 to 10 days, or if it gets worse.

You may have trouble sleeping the first few nights after you stop taking this medication. This is called rebound insomnia and is normal. It will usually go away after 1 or 2 nights. If this effect continues, contact your doctor.

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Information expires December 2024.