Xanax (Alprazolam)
Xanax is a tranquilizer, triazolobenzodiazepine derivative; the medicine exerts anxiolytic effects, reduces anxiety, panic states, phobias, stress. Xanax has a pronounced antidepressant quality to it. Xanax, which is a brand name for Alprazolam, provides central muscle-relaxant and mild sedative effect, stabilizes the autonomic nervous system.
Xanax is used to regulate miscellaneous mental conditions in patients with the following disorders:
• Anxiety and neurosis, accompanied by anxiety, paranoia, stress, sleep disorders, irritability, and somatic disorders;
• Mixed anxiety-depressive states;
• Neurotic reactive depression, accompanied by depressed mood, loss of interest in daily activities, anxiety, insomniac states, loss of appetite, and somatic disorders;
• Anxiety and neurotic depression that developed against the background of systemic diseases;
• Panic disorder in combination and without symptoms of phobias.
Alprazolam dose is determined individually and corrected in the course of treatment depending on the results of the therapy. The dose should be increased with caution, first with the evening, and then with the daytime intake. It is however very advisable to take the minimum effective dose.
For adults with anxiety states in the initial stages the dose constitutes 250-500 mg 3 times / day, the average maintenance dose being 0.5-4 mg / day in divided doses.
For the early stages of depression this dose changes to 500 mg 3 times / day; if necessary, gradually increase the dose to 1-4.5 mg / day.
When treating elderly or debilitated patients smaller doses should be taken: an initial dose of 250 mg 2-3 times / day; the dose is gradually increased to 500-750 mg / day when recommended by the prescriber and under condition of good drug tolerance.
Withdrawal or reduction in dose should be gradual, reducing the daily dose of no more than 500 mg in 3 days, with some patients needing even a slower rescheduling / discontinuation regime.
Frequently occurring side effects of Alprazolam include drowsiness, dizziness; sometimes blurred vision, headache, depression, nervousness, tremors, impaired memory and coordination, rarely – agitation, difficulty concentrating, irritability, anorexia, slurred speech.
On the part of the vision: there are reports of increased intraocular pressure.
On the part of the digestive system: in some cases – jaundice, elevated liver transaminases.
On the part of the urinary system: delay, or incontinence.
Other: weight change, disturbances of libido, irregular menstrual cycle.
Side effects, if any, usually appear at the beginning of therapy course and normally would disappear with continued therapy or dose reduction.
Safety of Xanax during pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding) is not studied. Xanax should be taken with extreme caution by patients with impaired liver function and / or kidney disease, acute respiratory failure or during an acute attack of glaucoma. Xanax should not be used in depressed patients with psychomotor retardation, as well as bipolar depression and the presence of psychotic symptoms. Application of Alprazolam in patients with severe depression and / or suicidal predisposition should be realized under constant medical supervision and administration of drug at a minimal initial dose. Particular caution should be exercised when administering Xanax to patients who are inclined to abuse drugs in connection with an increased risk of habituation and the formation of drug dependence in these patients. With the rapid decrease in dose or abrupt withdrawal of the drug there have been observed numerous cases of withdrawal syndrome, symptoms of which can range from slight dysphoria and insomnia to severe spasms in the abdomen and skeletal muscles, vomiting, sweating, tremors and convulsions. Withdrawal syndrome is more common in those receiving the drug for a long time at high doses. Xanax safety of children and adolescents under the age of 18 is not studied. During the entire period of Xanax therapy the patient should refrain from potentially hazardous activities that require attention and quickness of psychomotor reactions (driving or using machinery) to identify an individual patient's response to the drug.