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Oxazepam para la ansiedad

Oxazepam has a calming effect. You will be prescribed it for anxiety for a short period of time only - from a few days to a maximum of four weeks.

Oxazepam is likely to affect your reactions and ability to drive. These effects could last into the following day. It is an offence to drive while your reactions are impaired.

Do not drink alcohol while you are on oxazepam.

De un vistazo

  • Oxazepam is a medicine prescribed for short periods to help ease anxiety symptoms.

  • It works by affecting brain chemicals to create a calming effect.

  • Take oxazepam exactly as your doctor tells you, usually for a few days up to four weeks.

  • Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how oxazepam affects you.

  • Avoid alcohol while taking oxazepam as it increases sedative side-effects.

  • Common side-effects include feeling sleepy, weak, or light-headed.

  • If you have any concerns, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

About oxazepam

Tipo de medicamento

A benzodiazepine

Usado para

Ansiedad

Disponible como

Comprimidos

Many people can feel anxious from time to time. Ansiedad is normal in stressful situations, and can even be helpful. However, anxiety can become abnormal if it appears for no apparent reason, or if it is out of proportion to a stressful situation, or if it continues after a stressful situation has passed. Oxazepam is an anti-anxiety medicine which is prescribed for short periods of time to help ease the symptoms of anxiety.

Oxazepam works by affecting the way certain substances in your brain (called neurotransmitters) pass messages to your brain cells. It has a calming effect on your brain. The calming effect is helpful in people who have symptoms caused by anxiety, such as difficulties sleeping.

Before taking oxazepam

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking oxazepam it is important that your doctor knows:

  • Si estás embarazada o amamantando.

  • If you have any breathing problems.

  • Si tienes algún problema con el funcionamiento de tu hígado, o si tienes algún problema con el funcionamiento de tus riñones.

  • If you have a mental health problem. This includes conditions such as psychosis, depression, obsessive conditions, phobias and personality disorders.

  • If you have ever had a drug or alcohol addiction.

  • If you have a condition causing severe muscle weakness, called myasthenia gravis.

  • Si alguna vez has tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento.

  • Si está tomando o usando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye cualquier medicamento que esté tomando y que esté disponible para comprar sin receta, así como medicamentos herbales y complementarios.

How to take oxazepam

  • Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about oxazepam, and will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

  • Take oxazepam exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your doctor will tell you how many tablets to take, and how often to take them. These directions will also be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what was said to you. As a guide, it is usual to take one or two tablets three times a day for anxiety. If you are taking oxazepam because you are having difficulty sleeping, you may be prescribed a dose to take at bedtime only. The course of treatment prescribed will be as short as possible.

  • Try to take your doses of oxazepam at the same times of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take them. Swallow the tablet(s) with a drink of water. You can take oxazepam either with or without food.

  • If you forget to take a dose at the usual time, take it when you remember. Try to take the correct number of doses each day, but do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

Obteniendo el máximo de tu tratamiento

  • Remember to keep any follow-up appointments with your doctor. This is so your doctor can check on your progress.

  • Oxazepam is likely to affect your reactions and ability to drive. It is an offence to drive while your reactions are impaired. Do not drive until you know how you react, especially when you first start treatment. Please also be aware that the effects of oxazepam could last into the following day. Even if your driving ability is not impaired, should you drive, you are advised to carry with you some evidence that the medicine has been prescribed for you - a repeat prescription form or a patient information leaflet from the pack is generally considered suitable.

  • Do not drink alcohol while you are on oxazepam. It will increase the risk of sedative side-effects.

  • Oxazepam is taken for short periods of time only, often for just a few days. It will not be for longer than four weeks, as this may lead to you feeling dependent on it. Also, your body gets used to it quickly, and after this time it is unlikely to have the same effect.

  • If you are due to have an operation or any dental treatment, please tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking oxazepam. This is because oxazepam increases the effects of some anaesthetics.

  • Your doctor could recommend that you reduce your dose of oxazepam gradually when it is time to stop taking it. This is to reduce the risk of you experiencing withdrawal effects. Follow carefully any instructions your doctor gives to you.

Can oxazepam cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the more common ones associated with oxazepam. The best place to find a full list of the side-effects which can be associated with your medicine, is from the manufacturer's printed information leaflet supplied with the medicine. Alternatively, you can find an example of a manufacturer's information leaflet in the reference section below. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Common oxazepam side-effects

¿Qué puedo hacer si experimento esto?

Feeling sleepy, weak, or light-headed (these can continue into the following day)

Do not drive and do not use tools or machines. Do not drink alcohol

Forgetfulness, feeling confused or unsteady

Si alguno de estos se vuelve problemático, hable con su médico

Feeling (or being) aggressive

This can happen in some people - let your doctor know about it as soon as possible

Si experimenta otros síntomas que cree que pueden deberse al medicamento, hable con su médico o farmacéutico para obtener más consejos.

How to store oxazepam

  • Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y la vista de los niños.

  • Almacenar en un lugar fresco y seco, lejos del calor y la luz directos.

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos

Nunca tome más de la dosis prescrita. Si sospecha que usted u otra persona podría haber tomado una sobredosis de este medicamento, acuda al departamento de accidentes y emergencias de su hospital local. Lleve el envase con usted, incluso si está vacío.

Este medicamento es para ti. Nunca lo des a otras personas, incluso si su condición parece ser la misma que la tuya.

Si compras algún medicamento, consulta con un farmacéutico que sea seguro tomarlo junto con tus otros medicamentos.

No guardes medicamentos caducados o no deseados. Llévalos a tu farmacia local, que se encargará de desecharlos por ti.

Si tienes alguna pregunta sobre este medicamento, consulta a tu farmacéutico.

Informar efectos secundarios de un medicamento o vacuna

Si experimenta efectos secundarios, puede reportarlos en línea a través de Sitio web de Yellow Card.

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Preguntas frecuentes

What is the primary difference between normal anxiety and the type of anxiety oxazepam is prescribed for?

Normal anxiety is a natural response to stressful situations and can even be beneficial. However, anxiety becomes abnormal when it appears without a clear reason, is disproportionate to a stressful event, or persists long after a stressful situation has ended. Oxazepam is prescribed for these abnormal forms of anxiety to help ease symptoms.

Can oxazepam help if my anxiety makes it difficult for me to sleep?

Yes, oxazepam can be helpful for people who experience symptoms caused by anxiety, including difficulties sleeping. If sleep problems are a primary concern, your doctor may prescribe a dose to be taken specifically at bedtime.

Are there any specific medical conditions that would prevent me from safely taking oxazepam?

Yes, there are several conditions where oxazepam might not be suitable or would require extra care. These include being pregnant or breastfeeding, having breathing problems, issues with liver or kidney function, certain mental health problems (like psychosis, depression, phobias), a history of drug or alcohol addiction, severe muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), or a previous allergic reaction to medicine.

What should I do if I forget to take a dose of oxazepam?

If you forget to take a dose at the usual time, you should take it as soon as you remember. However, it's important to try and take the correct number of doses each day and never take two doses together to compensate for a missed one.

Why is it important to tell medical staff that I am taking oxazepam before an operation or dental treatment?

You should inform the person carrying out any operation or dental treatment that you are taking oxazepam because it can increase the effects of some anaesthetics. This information helps them to manage your care safely.

Lecturas adicionales y referencias

  • Manufacturer's PIL, Oxazepam Tablets 10 mg, 15 mg, Accord-UK Ltd, The electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated February 2022.
  • Medicamentos Completos BNF 89ª Edición; Asociación Médica Británica y Sociedad Real de Farmacia de Gran Bretaña, Londres.

Sobre el autorVer biografía completa

Imagen del autor

Michael Stewart, MRPharmS

Gerente de Revisión de Folletos de Medicamentos – Contratista, Farmacéutico

BPharm (Hons), MRPharmS

Michael es un farmacéutico comunitario que ejerce en Midlands y South Yorkshire con más de 20 años de experiencia asesorando sobre medicamentos y condiciones médicas. Tiene una sólida formación en capacitación en atención médica, habiendo producido e impartido cursos de formación para equipos de farmacia y personal de entornos de atención residencial, incluidas enfermeras. También ha contribuido a juntas asesoras de farmacia para la gestión de condiciones de baja gravedad en la comunidad.

Acerca del revisor

Imagen del autor

Sid Dajani

Sultan Dajani se graduó en la Escuela de Farmacia de Londres en 1994 y se convirtió en el miembro más joven elegido para el consejo de la Sociedad Real de Farmacia desde su fundación en 1842.

Historial del artículo

La información en esta página está escrita y revisada por pares por clínicos calificados.

  • Próxima revisión: 13 Mar 2027
  • 15 Sept 2022 | Última versión

    Última actualización por

    Michael Stewart, MRPharmS

    Revisado por pares por

    Sid Dajani
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