Ativan Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others
Ativan is a prescription drug.
- Assist in the production of a state of relaxation and sleep for adults before surgery.
- treat certain seizures in adults
- treat anxiety in adults and some children
Like other drugs, Ativan may have interactions.
One substance can cause another substance to have a different effect than expected. Alcohol, another drug, or a supplement can affect how a drug works in your body. If you have certain health conditions, interactions can occur.
Keep reading to learn about Ativan’s possible interactions, including what you should not take with Ativan. And for more information about Ativan, including details about its uses, see this article.
If you take Ativan, you could be at risk for harm. Your doctor may not prescribe Ativan in these cases. These are not good for you. The list includescontraindications of Ativan.
If you have acute closed-angle glaucoma. Your doctor likely won’t prescribe Ativan for you during an episode of acute (sudden) closed-angle glaucoma. This condition is a medical emergency that can occur when the pressure in your eye increases suddenly.
The pressure inside of your eye may be higher if you take Ativan. If you have higher pressure in the eye, it could lead to closed-angle Glaucoma.
While taking Ativan, watch for symptoms of acute closed-angle glaucoma. Examples include severe headache, vision changes, and sudden eye pain. If you have these symptoms, stop using Ativan and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
If you have certain breathing problems. Before taking Ativan, tell your doctor if you have breathing problems. Examples include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and sleep apnea.
Ativan may cause respiratory depression as a side effect. With respiratory depression, you have slowed and weakened breathing. In rare cases, this side effect could be life threatening for people who already have breathing problems.
If you have breathing problems, your doctor will likely prescribe a different medication.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ativan or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Ativan. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better options for you.
If any of the factors above apply to you, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can tell you if Ativan is safe for you.
It may not be safe to drink alcohol while taking Ativan. This is because both Ativan and alcohol may cause central nervous system (CNS) depression.
CNS depression slows the activity of your brain. This can lead to side effects such as drowsiness and lack of coordination. Drinking alcohol while taking Ativan can further increase your risk of these side effects. (To learn more about possible side effects of Ativan, see this article.)
If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor. They can suggest safe ways to stop drinking. Your doctor may recommend a different drug for you.
Before you start taking Ativan, you should tell your doctor and pharmacy about any drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent future interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
The drugs that may interact with Ativan are listed in the chart. This chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Ativan. The “Drug interactions explained” section gives more information about some of the interactions.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
| antipsychotics | • aripiprazole (Abilify) • clozapine (Clozaril) • haloperidol (Haldol) • risperidone (Risperdal) • loxapine (Adasuve) |
can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| birth control pills | • ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate (Estarylla, Sprintec) • drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol (Yasmin, Yaz) • ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Aranelle, Gildagia) |
can make Ativan less effective than usual |
| certain antidepressants, including tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) | • mirtazapine (Remeron, Remeron Soltab) • amitriptyline • selegiline (Emsam) • trazodone |
can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| certain antiepileptics | • valproate • divalproex (Depakote, Depakote ER) |
can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| certain antihistamines | • dimenhydrinate (Driminate, Gravol) • meclizine (Dramamine) • chlorpheniramine |
can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| certain xanthines | • theophylline (Theo-24) | can make Ativan less effective than usual |
| opioids* | • hydromorphone (Dilaudid) • morphine (Mitigo, MS Contin) • tramadol (ConZip, Qdolo, Ultram) • hydrocodone (Hysingla ER) • oxycodone (Xtampza ER, Oxaydo, Oxycontin) |
can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| other benzodiazepines | • alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR) • diazepam (Valium) • clonazepam (Klonopin) |
can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| stimulants | • amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR) • lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) |
can make Ativan less effective than usual |
| probenecid (Probalan) | — | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
* Ativan tablets and Ativan injections have a
There are certain drug interactions that can occur with Ativan.
Interaction with opioids
Taking Ativan with opioids could increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects. Opioids are a group of drugs used to treat pain.
In fact, Ativan tablets and Ativan injections have a
The table below explains this interaction further.
| What could happen | Examples of opioid medications | What you can do |
| could increase the risk of extreme sleepiness and respiratory depression (slowed and weakened breathing) | • hydromorphone (Dilaudid) • morphine (Mitigo, MS Contin) • tramadol (ConZip, Qdolo, Ultram) • hydrocodone (Hysingla ER) • oxycodone (Xtampza ER, Oxaydo, Oxycontin) |
Before starting Ativan, tell your doctor about any opioids you take. In most cases, they’ll avoid prescribing these medications together. But if they tell you it’s safe to take Ativan with an opioid, watch for extreme sleepiness and respiratory depression. Your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dosage of Ativan than usual to reduce your risk of these side effects. |
Interaction with stimulants
Taking Ativan with stimulants can make Ativan less effective than usual. Stimulants are used to treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
| What could happen | Examples of stimulant medications | What you can do |
| could cancel out the effects of Ativan | • amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR) • lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) |
If your doctor prescribes a stimulant while you’re taking Ativan, watch for symptoms of the condition you’re taking Ativan to treat. This could indicate that Ativan is not effective for treating your condition. Your doctor can recommend what to do if this happens. |
Interaction with other benzodiazepines
Taking Ativan with other benzodiazepines could increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects. (Ativan and its generic, lorazepam, are benzodiazepines.)
| What could happen | Examples of benzodiazepine medications | What you can do |
| could increase the risk of side effects such as extreme sleepiness and lack of coordination | • alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR) • diazepam (Valium) • clonazepam (Klonopin) |
In most cases, doctors will avoid prescribing Ativan with another benzodiazepine. Before starting Ativan, tell your doctor if you’re already taking a benzodiazepine. They can recommend a drug other than Ativan to treat your condition. |
Ativan may have other interactions. They could happen with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for more.
Does Ativan interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Ativan, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Ativan interactions with herbs
Ativan may interact with valerian root. Taking Ativan with this herbal supplement may increase the risk of extreme sleepiness as a side effect of the drug.
It is important to talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbal products.
Ativan and vitamins
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
It is still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products.
Ativan interactions with miscellaneous supplements
Ativan may interact with some supplements.
Taking Ativan with these supplements may increase the risk of extreme sleepyness.
It is important to talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplements.
Does Ativan interact with food?
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Ativan, talk with your doctor.
Does Ativan interact with vaccines?
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your treatment with Ativan, talk with your doctor.
Does Ativan interact with lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about getting certain lab tests during your treatment with Ativan, talk with your doctor.
Does Ativan interact with cannabis or CBD?
Cannabis (commonly called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been specifically reported to interact with Ativan. Using cannabis and cannabis products with Ativan could increase your risk of side effects from Ativan.
If you use cannabis, tell your doctor and pharmacy about it. You may help prevent interactions by sharing this information with them.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
There is a risk of interactions with Ativan for certain medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about your health history before you take Ativan. They will determine if Ativan is right for you.
Health conditions and other factors that might interact with Ativan include:
- Acute closed-angle glaucoma. Your doctor likely won’t prescribe Ativan for you during an episode of acute (sudden) closed-angle glaucoma. For details, see the “When should I avoid Ativan?” section above.
- Breathing problems. If you have breathing problems, your doctor will likely prescribe a different medication. For details, see the “When should I avoid Ativan?” section above.
- Kidney problems. Before starting Ativan, tell your doctor if you have any kidney problems. If you do, your body may not rid itself of Ativan as well as it should. This could increase your risk of side effects with the drug. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Ativan than usual or recommend a different treatment instead.
- Liver problems. Before taking Ativan, tell your doctor about any liver problems you have. Taking Ativan may worsen certain liver problems, such as hepatic encephalopathy. Your doctor will likely check your liver function from time to time during Ativan treatment.
- Depression. Taking Ativan may worsen depression for certain people. The risk is especially high if you have depression symptoms that aren’t well managed or aren’t receiving any treatment for depression. In this case, your doctor may prescribe a drug other than Ativan for you.
- Pregnancy. It may not be safe to take Ativan during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking the drug.
- Breastfeeding. Ativan can pass into breast milk, which may cause side effects in a breastfed child. If you’re considering breastfeeding while taking Ativan, talk with your doctor.
- Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ativan or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Ativan. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about Ativan.
Does Ativan interact with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol, Advil, or aspirin?
No, Ativan isn’t known to interact with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. This includes acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), and aspirin.
If you want to use an OTC pain relief, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. They can suggest a treatment to help with the pain.
Can I take Ativan with Claritin?
It should be safe to take Ativan with loratadine. There is no known interaction between these drugs.
Claritin is an antihistamine. It’s used to treat conditions such as seasonal allergies.
Other antihistamines, such as meclizine (Dramamine), are known to interact with Ativan. These antihistamines cause sleepiness as a side effect. And taking these drugs with Ativan could worsen sleepiness as a side effect of Ativan.
Claritin is less likely to cause sleepiness than these drugs. Claritin is not expected to make you sleepy.
If you are interested in treating seasonal allergies while taking Ativan, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist. They can help you with your symptoms.
Is it safe to take Ativan with the antidepressants Wellbutrin and Prozac?
No interactions have been reported with Ativan and bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) or fluoxetine (Prozac). It should be safe to take Ativan with these antidepressants.
Ativan may interact with other antidepressants, such as mirtazapine (Remeron, Remeron Soltab), trazodone, and amitriptyline.
If you have questions about Ativan, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid problems. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before treatment begins. Things to discuss with them.
- You can use alcohol or cannabis.
- Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a
medication list . - If you start taking a new drug, what should you do?
It’s also important to read Ativan’s
Taking Ativan exactly as prescribed can help prevent interactions.
If you still have questions, you should talk to your doctor.
You may want to ask your doctor some questions.
- Will my Ativan dose affect my risk of interactions?
- Will I be monitored more closely during treatment if I take Ativan and have certain health conditions?
- Should I take Ativan at the same time as my other drugs?
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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
