Warnings
Zaleplon Risks, Warnings, and Complications
Zaleplon can cause or worsen health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other medications for insomnia if you are at an increased risk of adverse reactions from this drug. Some of the risks of taking zaleplon include:
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Precautions Before Starting Zaleplon
Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to zaleplon, any of the active or inactive ingredients in zaleplon capsules, other sleep medications, tartrazine yellow dye, or any other drugs. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.
Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible interactions between zaleplon and your other medicines.
Give your doctor a complete medical history. Zaleplon may not be safe for people with certain medical conditions such as alcohol, prescription drugs, street drug abuse, mental illness or suicidal thinking or behaviors, seizure disorders, lung disease, severe renal impairment (kidney disease), and liver disease.
Talk with your health care provider about the benefits versus risks of taking zaleplon if you are 65 years of age or older. There may be other safer sleep medications available for older adults.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
Precautions During Use of Zaleplon
Keep all your medical and lab appointments while on zaleplon. Call your doctor if you do not notice an improvement in your insomnia after 7-10 days of treatment with zaleplon. You should know that zaleplon can reduce sleep latency (time taken to fall asleep), but it does not affect sleep duration or the number of nighttime awakenings.
Avoid heavy meals before taking zaleplon. Eating food that is fatty or greasy can affect the absorption of zaleplon and make it less effective.
Zaleplon can cause drowsiness, dizziness, reduced mental alertness, slowed reaction time, coordination problems, and vision changes the next day, which can increase the risk of falls and injuries. Be careful if you get out of bed during the night. Do not drive or do other hazardous activities until you know how zaleplon affects psychomotor performance.
Do not drink alcohol while on zaleplon. Alcohol has CNS-depressant effects and can make the side effects of zaleplon worse.
Tell your doctor right away if you or members of your household report any mental health changes or unexpected behaviors such as unusual aggressiveness, personality changes like being more outgoing, hallucinations, out-of-body sensations, new or worsening depression, memory problems, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, or other mood changes. Also, promptly report any complex sleep behaviors, such as sleepwalking, to your physician. Your family members should know when and how to seek care if you cannot do so yourself.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while on zaleplon.
Tell all your healthcare providers you are on zaleplon before any surgery, including dental procedures.
Zaleplon Drug Interactions
Concomitant use of certain medicines with zaleplon can affect how the medicines work and increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Some of the medications that can interact with zaleplon include:
- Tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine
- Selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as venlafaxine
- Antihistamines such as promethazine and diphenhydramine
- Antipsychotic drugs such as thioridazine
- Antitubercular drugs such as rifampin
- Antiepileptic drugs such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and phenytoin
- Certain antibiotics, such as erythromycin
- Antifungal agents like ketoconazole
- H2 blockers such as cimetidine
- Anticoagulants or blood thinners such as warfarin
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
The above list may not include all the potential drug interactions of zaleplon. Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, nutritional supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription medications.
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