How Long Does Ativan Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 12-24 hours

Ativan is the term used to refer to the medicine Lorazepam. Ativan is the brand name under which this medicine is sold. This is a benzodiazepine medication, meaning that its chemical formula consists of benzene.

Its chemical formula is C₁₅H₁₀Cl₂N₂O₂. It is white in color and is insoluble in water. The ingredients of this medicine are lactose monohydrate, polyacrylic potassium, magnesium stearate, and cellulose.

This drug is used for the treatment of anxiety or depression, trouble sleeping, nausea, and vomiting. It is used in various surgical processes to sedate patients. It is widely used by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to get some help with the restlessness and vomiting caused by the chemo.

Ativan is a very essential medication. It is also on the list of important medications in the list of The World Health Organization. It was introduced in 1963 and is used widely since then all around the globe.

How Long Does Ativan Last?

The dosage of Ativan is based on various factors such as age, medical treatment, and many others. It is important to consult a doctor before starting this medication as its overdose can cause a number of problems. Ativan can be taken as oral medication and as injections as well. The only difference is the duration of its action in both. When injected, it takes 10-15 minutes to work and when taken orally, it takes a longer time to show its action.

Ativan is a very effective medication to treat various disorders such as anxiety issues, trouble sleeping, etc but its long-term use is not recommended. It is advised not to take it for more than four weeks. This is because of the various side effects it induces.

Some of the side effects include weakness, low blood pressure, drowsiness, loss of coordination, and vision-related problems even though serious allergic reactions to this drug are extremely rare.

An injection of Ativan lasts up to 12-24 hours depending upon the dosage and the oral pill lasts for only 6-8 hours. The following table shows the concentration of Ativan required to treat various problems:

Why Does Ativan Last For So Long?

The medication of Ativan basically interferes with the work of the central nervous system. Ativan is an anti-anxiety medicine. The chemical responsible for calming the brain (nervous system) is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). During anxiety or restlessness, the brain becomes deficient in this chemical. Hence, this medicine is taken as it increases the availability of GABA to the brain which provides a calming effect to the body and mind.

Not only does Ativan act fast, but its effect also lasts for a much longer period of time. The half-life of Ativan is said to be 12 hours which means its concentration decreases in the body to half after every 12 hours.

The longevity of this medication depends on various biological factors such as height, weight, age, kidney functioning, etc. Young people are able to get this cleared in a lesser amount of time as compared to the older ones. With kidney malfunctioning, the drug may last for a longer time in the body.

Conclusion

Ativan is an anti-anxiety medication. This medication was developed by D.J. Richards. It was launched by  Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in 1977. Other names of this mediciene are diazepam, oxazepam, bromazepam etc. Its chemical formula is C₁₅H₁₀Cl₂N₂O₂.

This drug can be consumed orally in the form of pills and can be injected into the body as well. The injection rather works faster than the pills. Ativan works directly on the nervous system and is then metabolized by the liver and is then eliminated from the kidneys in the form of urine. In this way, it gets out of the body.

The medicine should be taken as prescribed by the doctor because its overdose can be dangerous and can even be fatal.

References

1. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006379.pub2/abstract
2. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2013/1101/p589