Halcion (Triazolam) Drug Overview of Drug Interactions and Missed Dose for Patients and Caregivers at RxList

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May 27, 2012

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Prescription Anxiety Medications »

What are anxiety medications and how do they work?

Anxiety is both a normal and useful response to potentially stressful or dangerous situations. It helps by increasing our awareness of what's going on around us and in other ways. For most people, the anxiety is short lived and normally goes away once the situation has passed. But that is not the case for an estimated 40 million adults in the United States who have some type of anxiety disorder and experience ongoing and unwarranted psychological distress. That distress may also manifest itself in physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, or chest pain.

Anxiety medications include multiple types of drugs that are used to treat the symptoms of anxiety disorders. The three most commonly prescribed types of anxiety medication are antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications -- also known as anxiolytics -- and beta-blockers. The first two types of anxiety medications work primarily by affecting the ba...

Read the Prescription Anxiety Medications article »

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DRUG INTERACTIONS: See also How to Use section.

Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: certain azole antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole), delavirdine, efavirenz, protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, ritonavir), sodium oxybate.

If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting triazolam.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: clozapine, disulfiram, certain H2 blockers (cimetidine, ranitidine), isoniazid, kava, certain SSRI antidepressants (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine), drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove triazolam from your body (such as aprepitant, diltiazem, nefazodone, verapamil, other azole antifungals-including fluconazole, macrolide antibiotics-including erythromycin, rifamycins-including rifabutin, St John's wort, certain anti-seizure medicines-including carbamazepine).

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as: antihistamines that cause drowsiness (e.g., diphenhydramine), anti-anxiety drugs (e.g., diazepam), anti-seizure drugs (e.g., phenytoin), other medicines for sleep (e.g., zolpidem), muscle relaxants, narcotic pain relievers (e.g., codeine), psychiatric medicines (e.g., phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine, or tricyclics such as amitriptyline), tranquilizers.

Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain drowsiness-causing ingredients including alcohol. Ask your pharmacist about the safe use of those products.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly. Symptoms of overdose may include: slow breathing, slurred speech, or a deep sleep from which you cannot be awakened.

NOTES: Do not share this medication with others. It is against the law.

This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another condition unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in those cases.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., liver and kidney function tests, blood count) may be performed periodically to check for side effects if you use this drug for an extended period of time. Consult your doctor for more details.

If you require treatment for more than 7-10 days, laboratory and/or medical tests should be performed to find the cause of your sleep problem. Consult with your doctor for more details.

As you get older, your sleep pattern may naturally change and your sleep may be interrupted several times during the night. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for ways to improve your sleep without medication, such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, avoiding daytime naps, and avoiding going to bed too early each night.

MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember if it is still near bedtime. If it is already the next day, resume your usual dosing schedule that night at bedtime. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE: Store US product at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture.

Store the Canadian product at controlled room temperature 59-86 degrees F (15 to 30 degrees C).

Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.