Midazolam injection may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems such as shallow, slowed, or temporarily stopped breathing that may lead to permanent brain injury or death. You should only receive this medication in a hospital or doctor's office that has the equipment that is needed to monitor your heart and lungs and to provide life-saving medical treatment quickly if your breathing slows or stops. Your doctor or nurse will watch you closely after you receive this medication to make sure that you are breathing properly. Tell your doctor if you have a severe infection or if you have or have ever had any lung, airway, or breathing problems or heart disease. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medications: antidepressants; barbiturates such as secobarbital (Seconal); droperidol (Inapsine); medications for anxiety, mental illness, or seizures; narcotic medications for pain such as fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Sublimaze, others), meperidine (Demerol),and morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, others); sedatives; sleeping pills; or tranquilizers.
Midazolam injection is used before medical procedures and surgery to cause drowsiness, relieve anxiety, and prevent any memory of the event. It is also sometimes given as part of the anesthesia during surgery to produce a loss of consciousness. Midazolam injection is also used to cause a state of decreased consciousness in seriously ill people in intensive care units (ICU) who are breathing with the help of a machine. Midazolam injection is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by slowing activity in the brain to allow relaxation and decreased consciousness.
Midazolam injection comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected into a muscle or vein by a doctor or nurse in a hospital or clinic.
If you receive midazolam injection in the ICU over a long period of time, your body may become dependent on it. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body, hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist), stomach and muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, sweating, fast heartbeat, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and depression.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of receiving midazolam injection if you are 65 years of age or older. Older adults should usually receive lower doses of midazolam injection because higher doses are more likely to cause serious side effects.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
headache
drowsiness
nausea
vomiting
hiccups
coughing
pain, redness, or hardening of the skin at the injection site
agitation
restlessness
uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
stiffening and jerking of the arms and legs
aggression
seizures
uncontrollable rapid eye movements
hives
rash
itching
difficulty breathing or swallowing
Midazolam injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while receiving this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
drowsiness
confusion
problems with balance and movement
slowed reflexes
slowed breathing and heartbeat
coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about midazolam injection.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Last Revised - 04/01/2012
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, 2012. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.