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May 27, 2012

Halcion

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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Halcion

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Halcion Patient Information Including Side Effects

Brand Names: Halcion

Generic Name: triazolam (Pronunciation: trye AY zoe lam)

What is triazolam (Halcion)?

Triazolam is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines (ben-zoe-dye-AZE-eh-peens). Triazolam affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause sleep problems (insomnia).

Triazolam is used to treat insomnia symptoms, such as trouble falling or staying asleep.

Triazolam may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Triazolam 0.125 mg-PAR

oblong, white, imprinted with G, TR 125

Triazolam 0.125 mg-ROX

oval, white, imprinted with 54 519

Triazolam 0.25 mg-GRE

oval, blue, imprinted with G 3718

Triazolam 0.25 mg-ROX

oval, blue, imprinted with 54 620

What are the possible side effects of triazolam (Halcion)?

Triazolam may cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking triazolam and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using triazolam and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

weak or shallow breathing;
fast or pounding heartbeats;
confusion, slurred speech, unusual thoughts or behavior;
hallucinations, agitation, aggression;
thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
problems with urination; or
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

daytime drowsiness (or during hours when you are not normally sleeping);
amnesia or forgetfulness;
muscle weakness, lack of balance or coordination;
numbness, burning, pain, or tingly feeling;
headache, blurred vision, depressed mood;
feeling nervous, excited, or irritable;
nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort; or
dry mouth, increased thirst.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about triazolam (Halcion)?

Take triazolam only when you are getting ready for several hours of sleep. You may fall asleep very quickly after taking the medicine.

Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, eating, or making phone calls and later having no memory of the activity. If this happens to you, stop taking triazolam and talk with your doctor about another treatment for your sleep disorder.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to triazolam or to other benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene), diazepam (Valium), or lorazepam (Ativan).

This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby, or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Do not use triazolam if you are pregnant.

Before taking triazolam, tell your doctor if you have any breathing problems, glaucoma, kidney or liver disease, myasthenia gravis, or a history of depression, suicidal thoughts, or addiction to drugs or alcohol.

Do not drink alcohol while taking triazolam. It can increase some of the side effects, and could possibly cause a fatal overdose.

Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy. They can add to sleepiness caused by triazolam.

Triazolam may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Triazolam should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

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