FDA Lowers Ambien Dose for Women

Here’s the skinny – the FDA analyzed company research data on Zolpidem (Ambien) and found that women process the medication slower. This means even after 8 hours 10-15% of women still had levels high enough to impair driving. So the FDA is ordering the makers of Ambien to set the therapeutic dose for women at 5mg. This is half the usual dose of 10mg.

Ambien Users Urged to Adjust Timing

The company that manufactures Ambien already warns that users should take the medication allowing for at least 7-8 hrs of sleep. This should probably now be extended to recommend that you take the drug 10 hours before you need to drive. This may require some people to need to move the medication back to and earlier time. For example, if you need to leave for work at 8am, you should consider taking the medication at 10pm. If you are someone who is out cold only a few minutes after taking Ambien, then 10pm would now be your bedtime. You also have to allow for that couple of hours of “shaking it off” in the morning before you drive.

For some this kind of scheduling may not be practical but it something you must consider when deciding to take sleeping medications. Also, keep in mind that Ambien is the most popular sleeping medication prescribed and is getting this attention. But all sleeping medications (also called hypnotics) carry the risk of morning sedation or slowed thinking.