Midazolam (By injection)
MID-ay-zoe-lam
Given before surgery or medical procedures to help you feel relaxed or sleepy.
Drug classes
Anesthetic Adjunct (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Midazolam is used to produce sleepiness or drowsiness and to relieve anxiety before surgery or certain procedures. Midazolam is also given to produce amnesia (loss of memory) so that the patient will not remember any discomfort or undesirable effects that may occur after a surgery or procedure . It is also used to produce loss of consciousness before and during surgery. Midazolam is sometimes used in patients in hospital intensive care units to cause unconsciousness. This may allow the patient to withstand the stress of being in the intensive care unit and help the patient cooperate when a machine must be used to assist with breathing.
Midazolam is given only by or under the immediate supervision of a doctor trained to use this medicine. If you will be receiving midazolam during surgery, your doctor or anesthesiologist will give you the medicine and closely follow your progress.
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although this use is not included in the product labeling, midazolam is used in certain patients with the following medical condition:
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Injectable
Midazolam will be given to you in the hospital or doctor’s office by a caregiver trained to use this medicine.
An IM injection is a shot given in your muscle (upper arm, thigh, buttocks). An IV injection is medicine that is put into your body through one of your veins.
The medicine begins to work quickly after it is given. You may start feeling its effects about 15 minutes (for the IM shot) or about 5 minutes (for the IV injection) after the medicine is given.
After you receive midazolam, you will be watched closely to make sure the medicine is working. Your breathing, blood pressure, nervous system, and heart will also be watched closely to make sure the medicine is not causing unwanted side effects.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Before you are given midazolam, make sure your doctor knows if you are using other medicines that may make you sleepy such as sleeping pills, tranquilizers, some cold and allergy medicine, narcotic pain-killers, or medicines that relax your muscles. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. You may get too drowsy or sedated if you drink alcohol or use medicines that cause drowsiness with midazolam.
Wait about 24 hours (or as your doctor orders) before drinking alcohol or using medicines that cause drowsiness.
Tell your doctor if you are using erythromycin or cimetidine (Tagamet®).
When Not To Use
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to midazolam or if you have narrow angle glaucoma.
Warnings
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before you are given this medicine. Midazolam may cause birth defects or be harmful to an unborn baby if used during a pregnancy.
Before you receive this medicine, tell your doctor if you have heart, liver, kidney, or lung disease or open angle glaucoma.
This medicine will keep you from remembering events that take place during surgery.
Midazolam may make you drowsy or dizzy for 1 or 2 days after you receive it. Wait 24 hours or until the effects of the medicine have worn off (whichever is longer) before driving or using machinery.
The time it takes for the medicine to wear off varies with each person. However, it may take longer for older adults to recover from the medicine’s effects.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Redness, pain, or a lump where the injection is given
Hiccups
Headache, dizziness
Drowsiness that continues after 2 days
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Midazolam, Novaplus Midazolam HCl, Versed
There may be other brand names for this medicine.