Midazolam is used alone or with other medicines to help reduce anxiety, cause drowsiness and prevent memory events before and during surgery or a medical procedure.

Midazolam is also used to maintain sedation in people who are on a machine that helps with breathing (ventilator) in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Midazolam may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Midazolam can slow or stop your breathing, especially if you have recently used an opioid medication, alcohol, or other drugs that can slow your breathing.

Using this medicine during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.

Use only as directed. Tell your doctor if you use other medicines or have other medical conditions or allergies.

Midazolam is injected into a muscle or into a vein. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.

Your breathing, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and other vital signs will be watched closely.

Midazolam may be habit-forming. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop receiving midazolam suddenly.

You should not be treated with midazolam if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• narrow-angle glaucoma.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:

• an electrolyte imbalance (such as low blood levels of potassium or magnesium);

• open-angle glaucoma;

• recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other opioid medications;

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);

• congestive heart failure; or

• liver or kidney disease.

Anesthesia may affect brain development in a young child or unborn baby (when used in the mother), which may lead to learning or behavior problems later in life. Long surgeries or repeated procedures pose the highest risks.

Anesthesia may still be necessary for a life-threatening condition, medical emergency, or surgery to correct a birth defect. Your doctor can inform you about all medicines given during a surgery or procedure.

Midazolam may contain an ingredient that can cause serious side effects or death in babies.

If you use midazolam during pregnancy, your baby could be born with life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, and may need medical treatment for several weeks.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed within 4 to 8 hours after receiving midazolam. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor if you notice excessive sedation, poor feeding, and poor weight gain in the nursing baby.

In a medical setting you are not likely to miss a dose.

In a medical setting an overdose would be treated quickly.

Avoid drinking alcohol.

Avoid driving or hazardous activity until the effects of midazolam have worn off completely. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficult breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Midazolam can slow or stop your breathing, especially if you have recently used an opioid medication or alcohol. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

midazolam can cause serious side effects, including:

• trouble breathing;

• confusion, agitation; or

• tremors, uncontrolled muscle movements.

Midazolam can cause problems with thinking or memory that may last several hours after the injection.

Common side effects of midazolam may include:

• amnesia, sleep apnea;

• irregular heartbeat and blood pressure;

• headache, drowsiness;

• cough, hiccups;

• slow breathing;

• nausea, vomiting; or

• pain, bruising, swelling, or irritation where the medicine was injected.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medicines at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you use, which may increase side effects or make the medicines less effective.

Using midazolam with other drugs that make you drowsy or that slow your breathing can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

• antibiotic or antifungal medicine;

• heart or blood pressure medicine; or

• HIV or AIDS medication.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect midazolam. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.