Lexapro--used to treat depression and anxiety--can cause sleeplessness. Ambien--a sleep aid--can cause depression. While all drugs have side effects, the severity varies with the dose and the individual. Patients using Ambien with Lexapro discuss extreme problems from the combination on Internet sites without thorough validation by medical experts. No Ambien-Lexapro contraindications are reported by the FDA. Talk to your doctor about any problems you experience. Do not change your dose or stop taking any medication without consulting a doctor.
Ambien
Ambien is the brand name of the prescription drug zolpidem. It is a sedating central nervous system depressant that targets the GABA receptor in the brain. Ambien is indicated for treating difficulty sleeping for seven to 10 days to avoid physical or mental dependence. Common side effects include clumsiness, waking up feeling sleepy, confusion and mental depression. Rare incidents of patients driving, eating or engaging in sexual activity while asleep with no memory of the behavior on waking have been reported. Use Ambien as directed by doctor. Do not take Ambien after a full meal or if seven to eight hours of sleep are not possible.
Lexapro
Lexapro is the brand name for escitalopram. No generic form is approved by the FDA as of August 2010. It is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor-SSRI-that blocks reabsorption of serotonin in specific nerve cells. The higher levels of serotonin improve mood. Lexapro is used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness or sleeplessness.
Ambien And Lexapro
Both drugs depress the activity of the CNS-central nervous system, although their mechanism of action is different. Excessive or prolonged CNS or respiratory depression can occur in patients taking both drugs. No official reports on Ambien-Lexapro interactions are published. Alcohol should be avoided. See a doctor to discuss any symptoms that interfere with your normal activities.
Case Reports
In the April 1998 issue of the "Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology," Dr. Curtis Elko presents five case reports from the Washington Poison Center involving patients taking Ambien and an anti-depressant drug. All five patients experienced visual hallucinations lasting more than an hour. Five additional patients from a previous study with hallucinations of long duration were included. Nine of the 10 were taking Ambien and an SSRI.
Laboratory Reports
Dr. D.E. Coleman reports in the March 2004 "Journal of Forensic Science" that a 54 year-old man who was driving erratically had therapeutic levels of zolpidem and fluoxetine--an SSRI--in his blood. The driver had poor coordination, slow movements and complained of seeing double road lines.
FDA Reports
A 2007 report to the Food and Drug Administration on human clinical trials of Ambien included a small group of patients who took Ambien and an anti depressant. A single dose of Ambien-10 mg and fluoxetine-20 mg in healthy men did not show any change in blood levels of either drug. Healthy females showed an increase in the time for Ambien to reach its peak blood level but the patients showed no signs of side effects.
A second study with healthy females given five consecutive nightly doses of Ambien-10 mg and sertraline-50 mg reported a 43 percent higher maximum concentration of Ambien in the blood and a shorter time for the drug to reach this level. No changes in the blood levels of sertraline were reported.
References
- FDA.gov: Highlights of Prescribing Information for Ambien
- Journal of Forensic Science: Hallucinations withZolpidem and Fluoxetine in an Impaired Driver
- PubMed.gov: Washington Poison Center; Zolpidem-associated Hallucinations and Serotonin Reuptake Inhibition: a Possible Interaction
- MayoClinic.com: Zolpidem
- MayoClinic.com: Escitalopram
