Does Ambien Cause Dementia? Details On Sleeping Pill Affecting Our Memory

People with sleeping issues, mostly the elderly ones use Ambien at night for better sleep. Doctors prescribe Ambien as the first-line medication for issues like insomnia over other drugs. But taking this medication for a long time can be a bit worrisome. Many people with such sleeping problems have reported losing memory, short-term or long-term. This makes a majority of Ambien users wonder if it contributes to memory loss or not. Longer use of the drug might lead to an enhanced form of memory loss, which is called Dementia. In this blog, we will try to answer the important question: Does Ambien cause dementia in sleeping patients?

What Is Ambien And How It Causes Dementia?

Meaning Of Ambien

Ambien is a sedative-hypnotic or a Z drug used to treat insomnia. It has some off-label uses such as being prescribed for fibromyalgia. It is also known by its generic name Zolpidem but is sold more as Ambien. While it is used for short-term relief from insomnia Ambien is available both as immediate and extended-release tablets. The other brand names of Ambien are Intermezzo, Zolpimist, and Ambien CR. One can buy this drug only under a doctor’s prescription as Drug Enforcement Administration labels it as a Schedule IV controlled substance. It is a highly potent drug and must be used carefully.

How It Works 

The mechanism of this sleeping pill is very intricate as it aims at inducing a sound sleep at night. Ambien works by entering the benzodiazepine site of the GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors to bind with certain alpha subunits. From here, it allows the chloride and calcium ions to enter the neurons that lead to the brain. Ambien now slows down brain activity and this makes one feel dizzy enough to fall asleep. This dizziness occurs when the activity of GABA neurons increases in the brain. Ambien can stay in our system for one whole day which allows us to get a sound sleep if we do it for 7-8 hours.

How Potent Is Ambien?

As an FDA-approved medication for sleep, a normal Ambien dosage consists of 5mg and 10 mg tablets. One has to take them as advised by the doctor. But due to its sedative effects, some people tend to take the tablet beyond their prescribed dosage. People can take more of the medication when either their sleep issues persist or they feel the urge to acquire the euphoric sensation again. This is what makes Ambien so much potent and tolerable. It leads to the overdose of the drug and further leads to many side effects associated with the sleeping pill. Among all the known Ambien side effects, memory loss is one of the most worrisome effects of the drug.

Does Ambien Cause Dementia?

Many studies have shown how Ambien can cause a loss of memory. One of the most popular studies on this problem was published in the Medical Journal. This Taiwanese study says almost 33% of the patients using Zolpidem were at risk of getting affected by dementia. This is a form of long-term memory that often targets people above the age of 65. Old age people need sleeping pills for treating chronic insomnia. But as Ambien is a very strong medication, it makes older patients vulnerable to its side effects. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are the two prominent outcomes of Ambien memory loss.

Why Does Ambien Cause Dementia?

Many people want to figure out how does taking Ambien cause dementia. The answer lies in the mechanism of the drug. While sleeping our brain removes a lot of toxins from itself. This allows the brain to induce a calm awakening in the morning. But when one takes Ambien for sleep, it interrupts this functioning of the brain significantly. Ambien overdose can affect its own mechanism as an overdose can increase the levels of GABA neurotransmitters in the brain. On long-term use this can disrupt the cognitive intelligence and impair our memory a lot. This can increase the Ambien dementia risk.

Can You Identify Dementia Symptoms On Ambien Dose?

There is definitely a way to find out how can Ambien cause dementia symptoms. Many signs start becoming evident after the overdose that suggest or mimic the onset of dementia. These symptoms help us establish the Ambien dementia link much earlier and act accordingly.

• Having Short-term memory loss 
• Unusual sleep behaviors like walking and eating
• Confusion
• Disoriented waking
• Delusions
• Hallucinations

The Human Error Associated With Ambien-Induced Dementia

While Ambien has its role in causing dementia, it is primarily the mistake of the person who has overdosed or abused the sleeping pill. Older patients with sleep issues are more prone to making mistakes due to their age. But the younger people misuse it deliberately because of addiction. The very obvious mistake common in both age groups is the long-term use of the drug. Ambien is primarily prescribed for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Another human error that is very dangerous is mixing the sleeping pill with other drugs like mixing Ambien with alcohol. 

Other mistakes can include doing focus-seeking activities like driving after taking Ambien and taking the drug while dealing with diseases. One of the root causes of all these behaviors is Ambien addiction.

Dealing With Ambien Dependence

There is no medical cure for memory loss issues like dementia. But we can surely reduce our dependence on Ambien. This will help us treat dementia with care and sincerity. Medical detoxification is the first step in Ambien addiction treatment where medications like Klonopin, Valium or Gabapentin might replace Ambien. The next step is extremely important as it deals with the errors we discussed about. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy deals with your initial mistakes by replacing your unhealthy habits with structured routines that improve your daily life. Relapse prevention helps the person identify the triggers and counter the urge to take Ambien. 

Medications To Manage Dementia

Those who have used the sleep medication for a long time need to manage the dementia risk even after stopping the drug. Cognitive impairment lasts forever after long-term damage and to manage it accordingly we need to use some medications.

• Donepzil
• Namzaric
• Risperidone
• Galantamine
• Rivastigmine
• Lecanemab
• Namenda

Conclusion

Ambien can cause dementia because of both human negligence and its mechanism. This tells us how we must use the sleeping pill carefully to make sure it does not affect our mental health. Sleeping and the brain are associated directly. This alone makes it obvious why we must have a risk-free sleep to keep the brain healthy.