LYCOS RETRIEVER
Alprazolam: Doses
built 640 days ago
Alprazolam is approximately ten times stronger than Valium. For this reason, alprazolam pills are found in dosages of .25, .5, 1 or 2 g pills. Even the .25 g pills are scored so the dose even that small can be halved.
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The use of Alprazolam at doses greater than 4 mg/day, often necessary to treat panic disorder, is accompanied by risks that you need to carefully consider. When used at doses greater than 4 mg/day, which may or may not be required for your treatment, Alprazolam has the potential to cause severe emotional and physical dependence in some patients and these patients may find it exceedingly difficult to terminate treatment. In two controlled trials of six to eight weeks duration where the ability of patients to discontinue medication was measured, 7 to 29% of patients treated with Alprazolam did not completely taper off therapy. In a controlled postmarketing discontinuation study of panic disorder patients, the patients treated with doses of Alprazolam greater than 4 mg/day had more difficulty tapering to zero dose than patients treated with less than 4 mg/day. In all cases, it is important that your physician help you discontinue this medication in a careful and safe manner to avoid overly extended use of alprazolam.
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Alprazolam should never be abruptly discontinued if taken regularly for any length of time because severe withdrawal symptoms may occur. Severe psychosis and seizures have been reported in the medical literature from abrupt alprazolam withdrawal,[27][28] and one death occurred from withdrawal-related seizures after gradual dose reduction.[28]
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Following oral administration, Alprazolam is readily absorbed. Peak concentrations in the plasma occur in one to two hours following administration. Plasma levels are proportionate to the dose given; over the dose range of 0.5 to 3.0 mg, peak levels of 8.0 to 37 ng/mL were observed. Using a specific assay methodology, the mean plasma elimination half-life of Alprazolam has been found to be about 11.2 hours (range: 6.3–26.9 hours) in healthy adults.
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Alprazolam may be taken with or without food. Alprazolam is metabolized by the liver and excreted mainly by the kidney. Dosages of alprazolam may need to be lowered in patients with abnormal kidney function.
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Alprazolam is taken as needed (PRN); 4 to 6 doses per day are the acceptable limit. If dependence seems to develop and/or the limit is exceeded, therapy may be reconsidered and/or discontinued.
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