lorazepam vs theophylline
Side-by-side comparison of lorazepam and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Administration of theophylline or aminophylline may reduce the sedative effects of benzodiazepines, including lorazepam.
Recommendation: Your doctor may need to adjust your dose because lorazepam might not work as well to help you relax or sleep.
Ativan
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Lorazepam is a medicine that can help with anxiety. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which slow down activity in the brain.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
Lorazepam is used to manage anxiety disorders. It can also provide short-term relief from anxiety symptoms or anxiety linked to depression. However, it is not for the stress of everyday life. Talk to your doctor regularly to see if you still need this medicine.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Lorazepam works by affecting certain chemicals in your brain. It enhances the effects of a natural brain chemical called GABA. This helps to calm your nerves and reduce anxiety.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
- • Feeling sleepy or drowsy
- • Dizziness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Tiredness 13,458
- Feeling sick to your stomach 13,333
- Loose stools 10,352
- Difficulty breathing 9,234
- Feeling worried or nervous 8,840
- Difficulty breathing 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,317
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
Taking lorazepam with opioid medicines can cause very serious problems, including slowed or shallow breathing, coma, and death. Only take them together if there are no other options. Lorazepam can be habit-forming, leading to abuse, misuse, and addiction, which can result in overdose or death. Using lorazepam for a long time can cause you to become dependent on it. Stopping it suddenly can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will slowly lower your dose to prevent withdrawal.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Lorazepam may harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding while taking this medicine. It can pass into breast milk and affect the baby.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This lorazepam vs theophylline Comparison
lorazepam is classified in the Benzodiazepine drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, lorazepam has 55,217 submissions while theophylline has 7,939. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to theophylline acts as a stimulant that can cancel out the calming or sleepy effects of lorazepam.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between lorazepam and theophylline - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.