Ativan (lorazepam) is a prescription drug that’s used to:
Like other drugs, Ativan may have interactions.
Some interactions occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. For example, sometimes alcohol, another drug, or a supplement can affect how a drug acts in your body. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Ativan’s possible interactions, including what you should not take with Ativan. And for more information about Ativan, including details about its uses, see this article.
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Ativan. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Ativan for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Ativan.
If you have acute closed-angle glaucoma. Your doctor likely won’t prescribe Ativan for you during an episode of acute (sudden) closed-angle glaucoma. This condition is a medical emergency that can occur when the pressure in your eye increases suddenly.
Taking Ativan may cause the pressure inside of your eye to be higher than normal. And having higher pressure in the eye could result in new or worsened closed-angle glaucoma.
While taking Ativan, watch for symptoms of acute closed-angle glaucoma. Examples include severe headache, vision changes, and sudden eye pain. If you have these symptoms, stop using Ativan and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
If you have certain breathing problems. Before taking Ativan, tell your doctor if you have breathing problems. Examples include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and sleep apnea.
Ativan may cause respiratory depression as a side effect. With respiratory depression, you have slowed and weakened breathing. In rare cases, this side effect could be life threatening for people who already have breathing problems.
If you have breathing problems, your doctor will likely prescribe a medication other than Ativan for you.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ativan or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Ativan. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking Ativan, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Ativan is safe for you to take.
It may not be safe to drink alcohol while taking Ativan. This is because both Ativan and alcohol may cause central nervous system (CNS) depression.
CNS depression slows the activity of your brain. This can lead to side effects such as drowsiness and lack of coordination. Drinking alcohol while taking Ativan can further increase your risk of these side effects. (To learn more about possible side effects of Ativan, see this article.)
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor. They can suggest safe methods to stop drinking while taking Ativan. Or your doctor may recommend a drug other than Ativan for your condition.
Before you start taking Ativan, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The chart below lists drugs that may interact with Ativan. Keep in mind that this chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Ativan. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
| antipsychotics | ? aripiprazole (Abilify) ? clozapine (Clozaril) ? haloperidol (Haldol) ? risperidone (Risperdal) ? loxapine (Adasuve) | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| birth control pills | ? ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate (Estarylla, Sprintec) ? drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol (Yasmin, Yaz) ? ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Aranelle, Gildagia) | can make Ativan less effective than usual |
| certain antidepressants, including tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) | ? mirtazapine (Remeron, Remeron Soltab) ? amitriptyline ? selegiline (Emsam) ? trazodone | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| certain antiepileptics | ? valproate ? divalproex (Depakote, Depakote ER) | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| certain antihistamines | ? dimenhydrinate (Driminate, Gravol) ? meclizine (Dramamine) ? chlorpheniramine | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| certain xanthines | ? theophylline (Theo-24) | can make Ativan less effective than usual |
| opioids* | ? hydromorphone (Dilaudid) ? morphine (Mitigo, MS Contin) ? tramadol (ConZip, Qdolo, Ultram) ? hydrocodone (Hysingla ER) ? oxycodone (Xtampza ER, Oxaydo, Oxycontin) | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| other benzodiazepines | ? alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR) ? diazepam (Valium) ? clonazepam (Klonopin) | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
| stimulants | ? amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR) ? lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) | can make Ativan less effective than usual |
| probenecid (Probalan) | — | can increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects |
* Ativan tablets and Ativan injections have a
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Ativan.
Interaction with opioids
Taking Ativan with opioids could increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects. Opioids are a group of drugs used to treat pain.
In fact, Ativan tablets and Ativan injections have a
This interaction is explained further in the table below.
| What could happen | Examples of opioid medications | What you can do |
| could increase the risk of extreme sleepiness and respiratory depression (slowed and weakened breathing) | ? hydromorphone (Dilaudid) ? morphine (Mitigo, MS Contin) ? tramadol (ConZip, Qdolo, Ultram) ? hydrocodone (Hysingla ER) ? oxycodone (Xtampza ER, Oxaydo, Oxycontin) | Before starting Ativan, tell your doctor about any opioids you take. In most cases, they’ll avoid prescribing these medications together. But if they tell you it’s safe to take Ativan with an opioid, watch for extreme sleepiness and respiratory depression. Your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dosage of Ativan than usual to reduce your risk of these side effects. |
Interaction with stimulants
Taking Ativan with stimulants can make Ativan less effective than usual. Stimulants are used to treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
| What could happen | Examples of stimulant medications | What you can do |
| could cancel out the effects of Ativan | ? amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR) ? lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) | If your doctor prescribes a stimulant while you’re taking Ativan, watch for symptoms of the condition you’re taking Ativan to treat. This could indicate that Ativan is not effective for treating your condition. Your doctor can recommend what to do if this happens. |
Interaction with other benzodiazepines
Taking Ativan with other benzodiazepines could increase the risk of Ativan’s side effects. (Ativan and its generic, lorazepam, are benzodiazepines.)
| What could happen | Examples of benzodiazepine medications | What you can do |
| could increase the risk of side effects such as extreme sleepiness and lack of coordination | ? alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR) ? diazepam (Valium) ? clonazepam (Klonopin) | In most cases, doctors will avoid prescribing Ativan with another benzodiazepine. Before starting Ativan, tell your doctor if you’re already taking a benzodiazepine. They can recommend a drug other than Ativan to treat your condition. |
Ativan may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details.
Does Ativan interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Ativan, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Ativan interactions with herbs
Ativan may interact with valerian root. Taking Ativan with this herbal supplement may increase the risk of extreme sleepiness as a side effect of the drug.
Before taking any herbal products with Ativan, it’s important to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Ativan and vitamins
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Ativan treatment.
Ativan interactions with miscellaneous supplements
Ativan may interact with the following supplements:
Taking Ativan with these supplements may increase the risk of extreme sleepiness as a side effect of the drug.
Before taking any supplements with Ativan, it’s important to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Ativan interact with food?
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Ativan, talk with your doctor.
Does Ativan interact with vaccines?
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your treatment with Ativan, talk with your doctor.
Does Ativan interact with lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Ativan tablets or Ativan injections interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about getting certain lab tests during your treatment with Ativan, talk with your doctor.
Does Ativan interact with cannabis or CBD?Cannabis (commonly called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been specifically reported to interact with Ativan. Using cannabis and cannabis products with Ativan could increase your risk of side effects from Ativan.
Before you start treatment with Ativan, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you use cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Ativan. Before taking Ativan, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Ativan is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Ativan include:
- Acute closed-angle glaucoma. Your doctor likely won’t prescribe Ativan for you during an episode of acute (sudden) closed-angle glaucoma. For details, see the “When should I avoid Ativan?” section above.
- Breathing problems. If you have breathing problems, your doctor will likely prescribe a medication other than Ativan for you. For details, see the “When should I avoid Ativan?” section above.
- Kidney problems. Before starting Ativan, tell your doctor if you have any kidney problems. If you do, your body may not rid itself of Ativan as well as it should. This could increase your risk of side effects with the drug. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Ativan than usual or recommend a different treatment instead.
- Liver problems. Before taking Ativan, tell your doctor about any liver problems you have. Taking Ativan may worsen certain liver problems, such as hepatic encephalopathy. Your doctor will likely check your liver function from time to time during Ativan treatment.
- Depression. Taking Ativan may worsen depression for certain people. The risk is especially high if you have depression symptoms that aren’t well managed or aren’t receiving any treatment for depression. In this case, your doctor may prescribe a drug other than Ativan for you.
- Pregnancy. It may not be safe to take Ativan during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking the drug.
- Breastfeeding. Ativan can pass into breast milk, which may cause side effects in a breastfed child. If you’re considering breastfeeding while taking Ativan, talk with your doctor.
- Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ativan or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Ativan. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Ativan and possible interactions.
Does Ativan interact with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol, Advil, or aspirin?
No, Ativan isn’t known to interact with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. This includes acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), and aspirin.
If you’d like to use an OTC pain reliever with Ativan, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can recommend a treatment option to help ease pain.
Can I take Ativan with Claritin?
Yes, it should be safe to take Ativan with loratadine (Claritin). There’s no known interaction between these medications.
Claritin is an antihistamine. It’s used to treat conditions such as seasonal allergies.
Other antihistamines, such as meclizine (Dramamine), are known to interact with Ativan. These antihistamines cause sleepiness as a side effect. And taking these drugs with Ativan could worsen sleepiness as a side effect of Ativan.
However, sleepiness is less likely with Claritin than with these antihistamines. So Claritin is not expected to worsen sleepiness as a side effect of Ativan.
If you’re interested in treating seasonal allergies while taking Ativan, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can recommend ways to help ease your symptoms.
Is it safe to take Ativan with the antidepressants Wellbutrin and Prozac?
No interactions have been reported with Ativan and bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) or fluoxetine (Prozac). It should be safe to take Ativan with these antidepressants.
Ativan may interact with other antidepressants, such as mirtazapine (Remeron, Remeron Soltab), trazodone, and amitriptyline.
If you have questions about taking antidepressants with Ativan, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Ativan. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- Whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
- Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a
medication list . - What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Ativan treatment.
It’s also important to read Ativan’s
Taking Ativan exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
If you still have questions about Ativan and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
- Will my Ativan dosage affect my risk of interactions?
- If I take Ativan and have certain health conditions, will I be monitored more closely during treatment?
- Should I avoid taking Ativan at the same time as any of my other medications?
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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.