lorazepam
Brand names: Ativan
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.
Drug Shortage Alert
lorazepam is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC. Status: Available.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$32.81/unit
Generic Price
$0.04/unit
Generic Savings
100%
Generic Available
Yes (16 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Lorazepam is used to manage anxiety disorders.
Common side effects
Feeling sleepy or drowsy, Dizziness
Key warnings
Taking lorazepam with opioid medicines can cause very serious problems, including slowed or shallow breathing, coma, and death.
How It Works
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.
How to Take It
Take lorazepam tablets by mouth. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you. The usual dose is between 2 to 6 mg per day, split into multiple doses. You may take the largest dose before bedtime. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store lorazepam tablets at room temperature (68° to 77°F) in a tightly closed container, away from light and moisture, and out of reach of children.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 103,354 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 174,469 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1998–2025.
Total Reports
174,469
Death-Related Reports
25,012
Hospitalization Reports
72,527
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FATIGUE | 13,457 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 13,332 |
| 3 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 12,120 |
| 4 | DIARRHOEA | 10,350 |
| 5 | OFF LABEL USE | 10,151 |
| 6 | DYSPNOEA | 9,235 |
| 7 | ANXIETY | 8,840 |
| 8 | HEADACHE | 8,661 |
| 9 | PAIN | 8,643 |
| 10 | VOMITING | 8,561 |
| 11 | DIZZINESS | 8,103 |
| 12 | ASTHENIA | 7,079 |
| 13 | DEATH | 6,638 |
| 14 | FALL | 6,408 |
| 15 | INSOMNIA | 6,272 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
Concurrent administration of lorazepam with valproate results in increased plasma concentrations and reduced clearance of lorazepam. Lorazepam dosage should be reduced to approximately 50% when coadministered with valproate. The effects of probenecid and valproate on lorazepam may be due to inhibition of glucuronidation.
Mechanism: Valproate slows down how fast the liver breaks down lorazepam, which causes the drug to build up in the body.
What to do: Your doctor should reduce your lorazepam dose by about half when taking these two medicines together.
Concomitant use of clozapine and lorazepam may produce marked sedation, excessive salivation, hypotension, ataxia, delirium, and respiratory arrest.
Mechanism: Combining these medications can cause a dangerous increase in side effects like extreme sleepiness and slowed breathing.
What to do: Use this combination with extreme caution and watch closely for signs of severe drowsiness or trouble breathing.
Concurrent administration of lorazepam with probenecid may result in a more rapid onset or prolonged effect of lorazepam due to increased half-life and decreased total clearance. Lorazepam dosage needs to be reduced by approximately 50% when coadministered with probenecid. The effects of probenecid and valproate on lorazepam may be due to inhibition of glucuronidation.
Mechanism: Probenecid blocks the liver from processing lorazepam, which makes the drug stay in your system longer and work more strongly.
What to do: The dose of lorazepam should be cut in half if you are also taking probenecid.
Administration of theophylline or aminophylline may reduce the sedative effects of benzodiazepines, including lorazepam.
Mechanism: Theophylline acts as a stimulant that can cancel out the calming or sleepy effects of lorazepam.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your dose because lorazepam might not work as well to help you relax or sleep.
Benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam) The intensity of sedation was greater with the combination of oral aripiprazole and lorazepam as compared to that observed with aripiprazole alone. The orthostatic hypotension observed was greater with the combination as compared to that observed with lorazepam alone [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)] Monitor sedation and blood pressure. 7.2 Drugs Having No Clinically Important Interactions with Aripiprazole Based on pharmacokinetic studies, no dosage adjustment of aripiprazole is required when administered concomitantly with famotidine, valproate, lithiu...
Mechanism: Both drugs can cause sleepiness and low blood pressure, and taking them together makes these side effects much stronger.
What to do: Your healthcare provider should monitor you closely for extreme sleepiness and changes in your blood pressure.
Common Questions
Can I drink alcohol while taking lorazepam?
How long does lorazepam stay in my system?
Can I drive while taking lorazepam?
Can I stop taking lorazepam suddenly?
What should I do if I feel like the medicine is not working?
Can I take lorazepam with other medications?
What are the symptoms of lorazepam overdose?
Is lorazepam addictive?
Can lorazepam cause memory problems?
What if I have narrow-angle glaucoma?
What are the common side effects of lorazepam?
Does lorazepam interact with other medications?
What drug class is lorazepam?
Is there a generic version of lorazepam?
Is lorazepam safe during pregnancy?
Has lorazepam been recalled?
Is lorazepam currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
Failed impurities/degradation specifications and Sub-potent Drug: Out-of-specification results were obtained during routine stability testing for Assay and Impurities.
The Harvard Drug Group LLC dba Major Pharmaceuticals and Rugby Laboratories
CGMP Deviations: Firm went out of business and could no longer continue stability studies.
Akorn, Inc.
Related Medications in Benzodiazepine
Other drugs grouped near lorazepam — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acamprosate
Campral
Acamprosate is a medicine that can help you stay away from alcohol if you are alcohol-dependent and have already stopped drinking.
Compare with lorazepam →
alprazolam
Xanax
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a medication that can help you with anxiety and panic disorders.
Compare with lorazepam →
amitriptyline
Elavil
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression.
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amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
Adderall, Adderall XR
Adderall XR is a stimulant medicine.
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aripiprazole
Abilify
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems.
Compare with lorazepam →
Medication Guides
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What the FDA Data Shows for lorazepam
The FDA label for lorazepam (sold under brand names such as Ativan) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Benzodiazepine class. Lorazepam is used to manage anxiety disorders. Official labeling lists 2 commonly reported side effects, including Feeling sleepy or drowsy, Dizziness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 103,354 voluntary reports. The database also lists 11 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.04 versus $32.81 for the brand — a 100% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 2 recall records on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: July 24, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages