Alprazolam

The label describes alprazolam for the acute treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in adults.

It is also described for panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, in adults.

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia

Alprazolam binds to the benzodiazepine site of GABA-A receptors in the brain. This strengthens the calming action of GABA.

This page covers the US label for alprazolam tablets taken by mouth, with the dosing the label gives for adults.

This is label-level information, not personal advice. Indian pack labels may differ, and your prescriber's instruction always comes first.

For generalized anxiety, the label describes a starting dose of 0.25 to 0.5 mg three times daily, raised every 3 to 4 days to a maximum of 4 mg daily in divided doses.

For panic disorder, the starting dose is 0.5 mg three times daily, raised in steps of no more than 1 mg a day.

The label says to use the lowest effective dose and to reassess often. When tapering, reduce by no more than 0.5 mg every 3 days, and slower if needed.

• Start low and increase slowly
• Maximum 4 mg daily for anxiety
• Use the lowest effective dose
• Taper gradually; do not stop abruptly

The boxed warning says using it with opioids may cause profound sedation, breathing depression, coma and death. It also carries risks of abuse, misuse and addiction, and of physical dependence with life-threatening withdrawal if stopped suddenly.

It is contraindicated with allergy to benzodiazepines and with strong CYP3A inhibitors such as ketoconazole and itraconazole, except ritonavir.

Care is needed with depression and impaired breathing. Newborns exposed late in pregnancy may show sedation or withdrawal.

• Dangerous with opioids
• Abuse, misuse and addiction
• Dependence and withdrawal on stopping
• Not with strong CYP3A inhibitors
• Newborn sedation and withdrawal
• Affects driving and machinery

• Opioids
• Other sedating medicines and alcohol
• Digoxin
• CYP3A inhibitors and inducers
• Opioids raise the risk of breathing depression, and other CNS depressants add to sedation.
• Digoxin toxicity risk may rise.
• CYP3A inhibitors increase alprazolam effects, while CYP3A inducers may reduce its effect.

No match in this label text. Ask your pharmacist about any medicine you take.

The label gives a storage range of 20 to 25 degrees C.

The label also says to keep the container tightly closed.

Follow the storage line on your own pack, and keep medicines out of the reach of children.

In the Drugs Rules schedules we checked, alprazolam is listed under Schedule H1 (serial and rule: Schedule H1, serial 1 (rules 65 and 97)). Schedule H1 medicines are sold only on a doctor's prescription, and the pharmacy records the sale.

We did not find alprazolam on the National List of Essential Medicines 2022 in the list we checked.

The Jan Aushadhi (PMBJP) list we checked has 7 product rows that mention alprazolam. We did not capture prices for them.

The banned fixed-dose combination list we checked has 2 entries that mention alprazolam. This does not mean the single medicine is banned. Use our checker for a specific combination.

Jan Aushadhi lists alprazolam products including Alprazolam Tablets IP 0.25 mg 0.25 mg; Alprazolam Tablets IP 0.5 mg 0.5 mg; Alprazolam 0.25mg and Fluoxetine 20mg Tablets 0.25mg; Alprazolam 0.25mg and Propranolol Hydrochloride 20mg Tablets 0.25mg. We have not shown a price for them. Check the pack and the seller for the actual price.