Ambien Dosage

Dosage in Adults

Use the lowest effective dose for the patient. The recommended initial dose is 5 mg for women and either 5 or 10 mg for men, taken only once per night immediately before bedtime with at least 7–8 hours remaining before the planned time of awakening. If the 5 mg dose is not effective, the dose can be increased to 10 mg. In some patients, the higher morning blood levels following use of the 10 mg dose increase the risk of next-day impairment of driving and other activities that require full alertness . The total dose of AMBIEN should not exceed 10 mg once daily immediately before bedtime. AMBIEN should be taken as a single dose and should not be readministered during the same night.

The recommended initial doses for women and men are different because zolpidem clearance is lower in women.

Long-term use of AMBIEN is not recommended. Treatment should be as short as possible. Extended treatment should not take place without re-evaluation of the patient’s status because the risk of abuse and dependence increases with the duration of treatment.

Special Populations

Elderly or debilitated patients may be especially sensitive to the effects of zolpidem tartrate. The recommended dose of AMBIEN in these patients is 5 mg once daily immediately before bedtime.

Patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment do not clear the drug as rapidly as normal subjects. The recommended dose of AMBIEN in these patients is 5 mg once daily immediately before bedtime. Avoid AMBIEN use in patients with severe hepatic impairment as it may contribute to encephalopathy .

Use with CNS Depressants

Dosage adjustment may be necessary when AMBIEN is combined with other CNS-depressant drugs because of the potentially additive effects .

Administration

The effect of AMBIEN may be slowed by ingestion with or immediately after a meal.