Ambien is the well-known brand name for the drug Zolpidem. It’s also referred to as a “Z-drug,” and it is a sedative-hypnotic medication often prescribed to those who suffer from insomnia and similar sleep disorders.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects a person’s ability to fall asleep or sleep soundly through the night. It can profoundly affect daily activities, professional life, and overall health.
Around 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders, and Zolpidem (Ambien) has become one of the leading prescriptions – approved by the FDA – for short-term insomnia treatment.
While effective as a temporary sleep aid, Ambien is not a cure for chronic insomnia. If symptoms persist beyond 7 to 10 days, further medical evaluation and treatment may be necessary to address underlying issues.
Many people find success with this medication, but there are a variety of risks and side effects to Ambien.

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Can You Overdose on Ambien?

The short answer is yes. Although Ambien is FDA-approved and commonly prescribed to treat short-term insomnia, there is an increase in emergency room visits due to excessive doses exceeding the recommended daily limit.
The recommended dosage for Ambien is ~6.25 mg for women and between 6.25 mg and 12.5 mg for men once a day at bedtime. Various factors may prompt your doctor to increase or decrease your dose as needed, but you should not exceed 12.5 mg per day.

What Happens if You Accidentally Take 2 Ambien?

In a truly accidental scenario, it is unlikely the individual ingested more than double the recommended daily dose (~25mg). While taking twice as much Ambien as prescribed can be very harmful, it’s unlikely to be lethal unless other factors, such as polydrug use or alcohol consumption, are involved.

What Happens if You Take Too Much Ambien?

The most common side effects reported for those who take Ambien as prescribed and not exceeding 35 nights of dosage are:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Daytime drowsiness
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Falls
• Feeling like you’ve been drugged

Side effects of any kind are unpleasant, and discussing any concerns you may have with your doctor is always encouraged.
However, taking too much Ambien at one time (exceeding 12.5 mg per day) or taking Ambien for a prolonged period may have adverse side effects, including:

• Aggression
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Severe drowsiness
• Doing things you can’t remember
• Impaired driving
• Lack of coordination
• Nightmares
• Slowed reaction time
• Suicidal thoughts

If you or your loved ones have experienced one or more of these symptoms, seek medical consultation immediately.

Ambien Overdose Symptoms

Recognizing the symptoms of an Ambien overdose is critical. If your loved one exhibits any of the following signs, seek emergency medical help immediately.

1. Slowed breathing
   • This is a sign of respiratory depression, where irregular breathing causes carbon dioxide to build up in the blood. This limits oxygen flow and can lead to respiratory failure or cardiac arrest.
2. Slowed heartbeat
   • A significant drop in heart rate may be hard to detect without a monitor, but signs include chest pain, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, and fainting. Heart rate fluctuations can signal severe cardiovascular complications from an overdose.
3. Difficulty breathing
   • If your loved one is struggling to breathe, call 911 immediately. Difficulty breathing is a life-threatening symptom that can quickly escalate.
4. Chest pain
   • Chest pain is often linked to a slowed heart rate and may indicate severe cardiovascular stress. Seek medical advice and monitor the individual closely.
5. Coma
   • In extreme cases, the individual may lose consciousness and become unresponsive. Call 911 immediately and provide any relevant information about a potential Ambien overdose.

Can You Die from Ambien?

While Ambien fatalities are rare, they can occur. Symptoms like slowed breathing, heart rate irregularities, chest pain, and coma can lead to life-threatening respiratory depression or cardiac arrest. It’s essential to act quickly if these symptoms arise.
A lethal Ambien overdose most often occurs when combined with other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol.

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Ambien Overdose Treatment

If you suspect someone has overdosed on Ambien, it’s critical to take immediate action. Call 911 for emergency medical assistance or take the person to the nearest hospital or emergency care center.
If you are waiting for medical assistance, take these steps to ensure the person’s safety:

1. Ensure their airway is clear.
2. Remove restrictive items from the neck (e.g., necklaces, ties).
3. Monitor breathing for irregularities.
4. Check lips and fingertips for bluish discoloration.
5. Do not induce vomiting.

Once the individual is with medical professionals, their breathing, circulation, and heart function will be closely monitored.

Antidote for Ambien

There is a common misconception about Ambien and its supposed antidote. While Flumazenil is commonly used for benzodiazepine overdoses, it is rarely administered for Ambien overdoses, though some physicians may opt to use it in certain cases. Instead, the standard treatment involves gastric lavage (stomach pumping) to remove the drug from the system. Medical professionals will continue to monitor the patient as they recover.
There is no specific “antidote” for Ambien overdose, but proper medical intervention can prevent further harm and allow the patient to recover safely.

Ambien Overdose Risk Factors

Ambien is a Schedule IV controlled substance, and research shows a significant risk of addiction and dependence.
One of the culprits of Ambien overdose risk is the increased tolerance many users experience with prolonged dosage. Because of this dulling effect, individuals frequently resort to increasing their dose of the medication. Increasing your dosage without medical consultation can have serious repercussions.
Specific populations, such as women and individuals over the age of 65, are at higher risk due to a slower metabolism of the drug, making them more susceptible to its effects. Women accounted for 68% of Ambien-related emergency room visits in 2010, and nearly one-third of these cases involved patients over 65. It should be noted that women in the U.S. are 1.5 times more likely than men to struggle with insomnia.
Although the FDA has advised prescribing lower doses for women and elderly patients, many of these higher-risk populations are still receiving full doses, heightening the risk of overdose.
Additionally, Ambien abuse is often associated with the concurrent use of other drugs or alcohol, aka polysubstance use. “Approximately 50% of the Ambien-related emergency room cases in 2010 involved other drugs, including opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, and other sedative-hypnotic medications.”
Most of these substances fall under the CNS depressants category and are used to slow down brain activity and relax muscles. Often called sedatives or tranquilizers, common CNS depressants include drugs like Ambien (Zolpidem), Xanax (Benzodiazepine), alcohol, and even marijuana, which can have a depressant effect.
When Ambien is taken in significant excess or ingested with other CNS depressants, the heart rate and breathing will slow down. If the heart does not pump enough blood and oxygen to the brain and vital organs, the heart will go into cardiac arrest, causing possible brain damage and even death.
When used responsibly under medical advisory, Ambien can help relieve insomnia and similar disorders. However, the risks associated with Ambien can not be overlooked as it still carries the risk of addiction, particularly for those with a history of substance abuse.

Ambien Overdose Death

Because of Ambien’s recognizable name, it has been the subject point for several high-profile overdose deaths in our media and news sources. While it is challenging to associate just Ambien with these deaths directly, data from the CDC shows that non-benzodiazepine sedatives, like Ambien, have been implicated in some drug overdose deaths.
More often than not, we are seeing overdoses that involve Ambien with other substances (depressants and alcohol). Many of these deaths appear to be accidental, highlighting the urgent need for greater drug awareness and education on the dangers of mixing medications.

Preventing Ambien Overdose

Preventing Ambien Overdose must start with recognition of the signs of addiction and withdrawal.
If your loved one shows these signs of Ambien Abuse — it’s time to speak up!

• Buying Ambien illegally.
• Combining it with other substances.
• Driving under the influence of Ambien.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop.
• Forging prescriptions.
• Taking it differently than prescribed.
• Sleeping through important events because of Ambien.
• Strong cravings.
• Trying to cut down or stop without success.
• Using Ambien every night.
• Visiting multiple doctors for prescriptions.

Not only are some of these actions extremely hazardous to the user, but the majority are illegal and harmful to the individual and public safety. These signs suggest a possible drug dependence, and intervention must occur.
You might feel tempted to stop taking Ambien on your own. However, withdrawal symptoms in the case of Ambien addiction can be extremely dangerous. Some of Ambien withdrawal symptoms include:

• Agitation
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Delirium
• Disorientation
• Hallucinations
• Increased blood pressure, pulse, breathing rate, or body temperature
• Sweating
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Nausea or vomiting
• Restlessness
• Seizures
• Stomach cramps and abdominal discomfort
• Tremors

Some of these symptoms are life-threatening, and complications can occur if an individual chooses to detox without medical assistance. It is strongly encouraged that individuals with a dependence or addiction to Ambien seek medically managed detox treatment.

Get Compassionate Addiction Treatment at Gratitude Lodge

Ambien is a sedative-hypnotic medication that has been effective in treating short-term insomnia. However, its potential for misuse and addiction calls for greater caution, especially for vulnerable individuals or those with a history of drug or alcohol addiction.
If you or a loved one needs medical intervention for an addiction to Ambien, consider Gratitude Lodge for the next steps. Our treatment programs offer:

• Talk therapy
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Counseling
• Group therapy
• Family therapy
• Holistic therapy
• Aftercare

Find effective treatment for Ambien addiction today by calling our recovery team at (800) 994-2184.

Sources

1. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/central-nervous-system-depressant
2. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/DAWN-SR150-Zolpidem-2014/DAWN-SR150-Zolpidem-2014.pdf
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7714764/#:~:text=The%20pooled%20prevalence%20of%20insomnia,5.63%2C%20p%20%3C%200.0001
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14519173/