Ambien Side Effects

Generic name: zolpidem

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 30, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Ambien Side Effects associated with zolpidem. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Ambien.

Applies to zolpidem: tablet.

Other dosage forms:

• oral capsule, oral tablet, oral tablet extended release

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Sublingual route (tablet)

Warning: Complex Sleep Behaviors. Complex sleep behaviors including sleep-walking, sleep-driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake may occur following use of zolpidem tartrate.

Some of these events may result in serious injuries, including death.

Discontinue zolpidem tartrate immediately if a patient experiences a complex sleep behavior.

Common side effects of Ambien

Some side effects of zolpidem may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

Less common side effects

• abnormal or decreased touch sensation
• abnormal sensation of movement
• appetite disorder
• balance disorder
• binge eating
• bladder pain
• bloody or cloudy urine
• blurred vision
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
• change in hearing
• chest discomfort
• chills
• constipation
• continuous ringing, buzzing, or other unexplained noise in the ears
• daytime drowsiness
• diarrhea
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• difficulty with moving
• difficulty with swallowing
• double vision
• dry mouth
• earache
• eye redness
• frequent bowel movements
• frequent urge to urinate
• headache
• hearing loss
• heartburn
• itching ears
• joint pain
• lack of appetite
• lack or loss of strength
• longer or heavier menstrual periods
• loss of balance
• muscle aches, cramping, pain, or stiffness
• nausea
• redness of the skin
• redness or soreness of the throat
• sneezing
• stomach pain
• stuffy or runny nose
• swollen joints
• vision changes
• vomiting

Serious side effects of Ambien

Along with its needed effects, zolpidem (the active ingredient contained in Ambien) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking zolpidem:

Less common side effects

• clumsiness or unsteadiness
• confusion about identity, place, and time
• discouragement
• drugged feeling
• false or unusual sense of well-being
• feeling of unreality
• feeling sad or empty
• hives or welts
• irritability
• lack of appetite
• lack of feeling or emotion
• loss of interest or pleasure
• lack or loss of self-control
• memory problems
• mood swings
• nightmares or unusual dreams
• sense of detachment from self or body
• slowing of mental and physical activity
• tiredness
• trouble concentrating
• trouble sleeping

Rare side effects

• difficulty with breathing
• dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
• falling
• fast heartbeat
• seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
• skin rash
• swelling of the face
• unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability

For healthcare professionals

Applies to zolpidem: oral capsule, oral spray, oral tablet, oral tablet extended release, sublingual tablet.

General adverse events

The most commonly reported side effects included dizziness, headache, and somnolence.^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Dizziness (up to 23.5%), headache (up to 19%), somnolence (up to 15%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Amnesia, amnestic effects, anterograde amnesia, ataxia, attention disturbance, balance disorder, burning sensation, cognitive disorders, daytime drowsiness, drowsiness, drugged feelings, hypoesthesia, involuntary muscle contractions, lethargy, lightheadedness, memory disorders, memory impairment, paresthesia, postural dizziness, tremor, vertigo
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Cerebrovascular disorder, decreased cognition, difficulty concentrating, dysarthria, migraine, sleeping (with daytime dosing), speech disorder, stupor, syncope, taste perversion
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Abnormal gait, dementia, depressed level of consciousness, gait disturbance, hypokinesia, hypotonia, neuralgia, neuritis, neuropathy, paresis, parosmia, restless legs, sciatica
• Frequency not reported: Central nervous system (CNS)-depressant effects, impaired concentration, next-day impairment, next day somnolence
• Postmarketing reports: Dysgeusia, memory disturbances, reduced alertness^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal dreams, agitation, anxiety, apathy, binge eating, confusion, depersonalization, depressed mood, depression, disinhibition, disorientation, euphoria, euphoric mood, exacerbated insomnia, hallucinations, inappropriate behavior, insomnia, major depression, mood swings, nervousness, nightmare, psychomotor retardation, restlessness, sleep disorder, stress symptoms
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Aggression, confusional state, detached, emotional lability, hypnagogic hallucinations, illusion, irritability, somnambulism, visual hallucinations
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Abnormal thinking, aggressive reaction, attempted suicide, decreased libido, delusion, hysteria, libido disorder, manic reaction, neurosis, panic attacks, personality disorder
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Dependence, withdrawal effects/symptoms
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal behavior, abnormal thinking, aggravated depression, anger, behavior changes, complex behaviors, continuing depression, hallucinations not otherwise specified (NOS), psychosis
• Postmarketing reports: Aggravated insomnia, other adverse behavioral effects, perceptual disturbances, rages^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, abdominal pain upper, abdominal tenderness, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, dyspepsia, flatulence, gastroenteritis, frequent bowel movements, gastroesophageal reflux disease, nausea, vomiting
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dysphagia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Altered saliva, enteritis, eructation, esophagospasm, gastritis, hemorrhoids, increased saliva, tenesmus, intestinal obstruction, rectal hemorrhage, tooth caries^[Ref]

Other

• Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, chest discomfort, contusion, exposure to poisonous plant, fatigue, increased body temperature, labyrinthitis, neck injury, otitis externa, pyrexia, tinnitus
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Fall/falling, fever, malaise, trauma
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Feeling strange, face edema, increased tolerance, intoxicated feeling, otitis media, pain, rigors
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Rebound effect
• Frequency not reported: Drug tolerance
• Postmarketing reports: Drunk feeling^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Hiccup, lower respiratory infection, lower respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis, pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, throat irritation, upper respiratory infection, upper respiratory tract infection
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Bronchitis, coughing, dyspnea
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Bronchospasm, epistaxis, hypoxia, laryngitis, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, respiratory depression, yawning
• Postmarketing reports: Cough, dry throat^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal vision, altered visual depth perception, asthenopia, blurred vision, diplopia, eye redness, visual disturbance
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Eye irritation, eye pain, scleritis
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Abnormal accommodation, abnormal lacrimation, conjunctivitis, corneal ulceration, glaucoma, periorbital edema, photopsia
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Visual impairment^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Arthralgia, back pain, muscle cramp, myalgia, neck pain
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Arthritis, leg cramps, muscle spasms, muscle/muscular weakness
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Arthrosis, tendinitis^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Common (1% to 10%): Dysuria, menorrhagia, urinary tract infection, vulvovaginal dryness
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Cystitis, menstrual disorder, urinary incontinence, vaginitis
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Breast pain, impotence, micturition frequency, nocturia, polyuria, urinary retention
• Postmarketing reports: Dysmenorrhea^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Rash, skin wrinkling, urticaria
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hyperhidrosis, increased sweating, pruritus
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Acne, bullous eruption, dermatitis, furunculosis, photosensitivity reaction, purpura
• Frequency not reported: Angioneurotic edema
• Postmarketing reports: Contact dermatitis^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Infection, influenza, influenza-like symptoms
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Abscess, herpes simplex, herpes zoster^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased blood pressure, palpitations
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Chest pain, edema, hypertension, pallor, postural hypotension, tachycardia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Aggravated hypertension, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, arteritis, circulatory failure, extrasystoles, flushing, hot flashes, hypotension, myocardial infarction, phlebitis, thrombosis, varicose veins, ventricular tachycardia
• Postmarketing reports: Increased heart rate^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Common (1% to 10%): Anorexia, appetite disorder
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hyperglycemia, thirst
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Decreased weight, gout, hypercholesteremia, hyperlipidemia, increased appetite, tetany^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Common (1% to 10%): Allergy
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Aggravated allergy, allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock
• Frequency not reported: Angioedema, anaphylaxis, serious anaphylactic reactions, serious anaphylactoid reactions^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal hepatic function, elevated liver enzymes, increased ALT
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Bilirubinemia, cholestatic liver injury, hepatocellular liver injury, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased AST, mixed liver injury
• Postmarketing reports: Acute hepatocellular, cholestatic, or mixed liver injury with or without jaundice^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Anemia, hyperhemoglobinemia, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), leukopenia, lymphadenopathy, macrocytic anemia^[Ref]

Renal

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Acute renal failure, renal pain^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Breast fibroadenosis, breast neoplasm^[Ref]

Local

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Injection-site inflammation
• Frequency not reported: Transient paresthesia of the tongue, transient sublingual erythema^[Ref]

Tongue paresthesia and sublingual erythema occurred in patients given sublingual tablet formulations.^[Ref]

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Further information

Ambien side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.

Medical Disclaimer