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Ativan Side Effects
While most people tolerate Ativan well, it is possible for problems to occur during treatment. Common side effects of Ativan can include dizziness, weakness, and unsteadiness. A few other possible side effects include nausea, constipation, and fatigue. Some risks are more serious and require immediate medical attention; be sure to report side effects such as seizures or suicidal thoughts to your healthcare provider right away.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Ativan® (lorazepam); however, not everyone who takes the medication will have problems. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Ativan. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Ativan side effects with you.)
Ativan has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, the side effects that occur in a group of people taking the drug are documented and are then compared to side effects that occur in another group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
In these studies, the most common side effects of Ativan included:
- A sleeping or calming effect (known medically as sedation) -- in up to 15.9 percent of people
- Dizziness -- up to 6.9 percent
- Weakness -- up to 4.2 percent
- Unsteadiness -- up to 3.4 percent.
Some other possible side effects included:
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Vertigo (a spinning sensation)
- Vision changes
- Headaches
- Slurred speech
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Sex drive changes
- Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction or ED (see Ativan Sexual Side Effects)
- Orgasm problems
- Hair loss (see Ativan and Hair Loss)
- Slightly lower blood pressure.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD