What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking estazolam if you have:
- Lung problems or breathing problems
- A history of drug or alcohol abuse (see ProSom and Alcohol)
- Any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Estazolam belongs to a group of medications known as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines have several different effects on the body, including:
- Relaxing the muscles
- Reducing anxiety
- Causing sleepiness
- Stopping seizures
- Impairing short-term memory.
All benzodiazepine medications can have these effects to some degree, depending on the specific medication and the dose. They work in the brain by enhancing the effects of
gamma-aminobutyric acid (
GABA), a chemical that is naturally calming. GABA can slow down or stop certain nerve signals in the brain. This is why estazolam and other benzodiazepines are known as mild tranquilizers, sedatives, or central nervous system depressants (CNS depressants).