It is very risky to mix Ativan and alcohol as it can make many things to go wrong. Knowing about the Ativan medication and how alcohol works in the body would make it easy for you to understand the seriousness of this activity.
Ativan on the body
This medication belongs to the group of drugs known as benzodiazepine. This acts on the central nervous system and produces a calming effect in the body. This would be a wonderful medication for those who are suffering from anxiety disorder. The symptoms of this medical condition would be reduced to a greater extent. The medication works very quickly in the body and it reaches its peak within an hour. Due to this, Ativan’s effect does not stay in the body for a longer period of time.
Alcohol in the body
When a person consumes alcohol, it gets absorbed in the bloodstream and passes to the heart, muscles, brain and tissues. When you take alcohol in an empty stomach then this process would happen quickly resulting in a pleasant feel.
What happens when Ativan is mixed with alcohol?
When you consume alcohol while on Ativan medication, it would magnify the effect of alcohol in the body. There are chances for a person to get certain effects that are mentioned below:
- Decreased respiration
When Ativan is taken along with alcohol it slows down the intake of oxygen that is required for the body. These depressants would send wrong signals to the central nervous system to stop the necessary body functions like breathing.
- Low blood pressure
These two depressants would lessen the heart rate and the flow of blood throughout the body.
- Confusion and Disorientation
These are some of the most expected results that would happen when two strong tranquilizers are taken.
- Fainting
Instant blackout in a person occurs due to the mixing of Ativan with alcohol. This is referred as one of the deadliest combinations.
- Risk of overdose
When a person takes Ativan pills with alcohol there would be less tolerance in the body. So, even if you take the right dosage strength of the medication as prescribed by the healthcare professional, it would lead to drug overdose.
Even if you consume alcohol several hours after taking Ativan, the risk is the same. This is because, the traces of the benzodiazepine stays in the body for several days.
So, if you are a person who is taking Ativan as instructed by your doctor, it is still recommended not to consume alcohol during the treatment. You should not even consume very little amount of alcohol. For further clarifications you can get help from a medical specialist to continue the anti-anxiety treatment safely and in the right way.
