Anxiety has been a major issue in this recent years for the young generation. Many people are affected by anxiety. Alprazolam and lorazepam are two different drugs or medicines prescribed for people affected by anxiety.
Both are better medicines to treat anxiety.
Key Takeaways
- Alprazolam and Lorazepam are both benzodiazepines used to treat anxiety disorders, but they differ in potency and onset of action.
- Alprazolam acts faster and has a shorter half-life, making it more suitable for panic disorder treatment, while Lorazepam is more appropriate for generalized anxiety disorder.
- Lorazepam has fewer drug interactions than Alprazolam, making it a safer option for patients taking multiple medications.
Alprazolam vs Lorazepam
The difference between Alprazolam and Lorazepam is their brand name. The brand name of alprazolam is Xanax, whereas the brand name of lorazepam is Ativan. They both have different onset hours. The onset hour for alprazolam is 4 to 6 hours, whereas the onset hours for lorazepam is 8 hours. The onset is quick in alprazolam and slows in lorazepam.
The brand name of alprazolam is Xanax. It is the fastest onset reacting agent and acting tranquilizer. Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine. The specific usage of alprazolam is for short-term anxiety disorder.
It also treats panic disorder and other mental issues. It shows better results in a week for the disorder called nausea included with chemotherapy. It is available in different factors.
It is taken by mouth. It is available in tablets, oral concentrate, and injections. Tablets are prescribed and advised for their slow process on the body.
The brand of lorazepam is Ativan, and it is the trade name. The lorazepam is a benzodiazepine medicine. The specific usage of lorazepam is against anxiety and other mental-related disorders.
It causes many side effects, like nausea, dry mouth, and depression. People who are mechanically ventilated can use lorazepam to sedate memory. It is also used in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome.
It is available in tablets and oral concentrate.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Alprazolam | Lorazepam |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Name | The brand name for alprazolam is Xanax | The brand name for lorazepam is Ativan |
| Mental confusion status | Alprazolam has fewer effects on mental confusion | Lorazepam has high effects on mental confusion |
| Addictive | Alprazolam is more addictive | Lorazepam is less addictive comparatively |
| Activity | Alprazolam affected by race | Lorazepam did not influence by race |
| Onset hours | Alprazolam has 4 to 6 hours | Lorazepam has 8 hours |
What is Alprazolam?
Alprazolam cause many side effets. Continuous usage results in severe health issues. It ill-treats your body with its addiction. Headache, nausea, dizziness, and sleeping disorders are the common side effects caused by alprazolam.
It also affects your central nervous system and causes some memory-related issues. Alprazolam performs faster than any other drug and provides better results in a day. The sudden drop in this medicine may cause rebound symptoms.
It is a GABAA receptor. Alprazolam is a benzodiazepines. In 1971, alprazolam got its patent and approval. In 1981, alprazolam came under scheduled drugs IV. It is very addictive and may lead you to suicidal attempts.
Alprazolam is the generic name of the medicine, whereas Xanax is the brand or commercial name of this medicine. By 2019, it is considered the 41st most-selling medicine in the world.
The trade name of alprazolam is Xanor, Niravam. The alprazolam is 80 to 90% of bioavailability. It has 80% of protein binding. It is excreted through the kidney. Continuous usage will affect your kidney.
The chemical name of alprazolam is C17H13ClN4. The molar mass of alprazolam is 308.77 g·mol−1. The overdose of alprazolam may cause an impaired balance of hormones. Depending on the country, the brand name gets differentiated.
What is Lorazepam?
Lorazepam is one of the most-sold drugs for anxiety disorders. Low blood pressure, nausea, and dizziness are the common side effects caused by lorazepam. It also affects the respiratory system and causes decreased effort to breathe.
Suicidal thoughts are common among people who take more amounts of lorazepam. Lorazepam causes physical and psychological dependence. The sudden drop in medicine also leads to several problems.
The adverse effect is common among old people.
Lorazepam is a severe one in old people. Continuous usage causes hip fractures and other issues. It is advised to take only two to four weeks to avoid the side effects caused by lorazepam. It got its patent in 1963.
By 1977 it came under essential medicines by world health organizations. Lorazepam is the generic name of the medicine, whereas Ativan is the brand or commercial name. It is the 60th most prescribed medicine in 2019.
Lorazepam has many trade names. Some of them are Ativan, Tavor, Temesta. The other name of lorazepam is O-Chloroxazepam, L-Lorazepam Acetate. It is administered intramuscularly, under the tongue, and transdermal.
When lorazepam is taken by mouth, it has 80% bioavailability. Like alprazolam, it is also excreted through the kidney. Long-term usage will damage the kidney and cause kidney problems.
The chemical formula of lorazepam is C15H10Cl2N2O2. The molar mass of lorazepam is 321.16 g·mol−1.
Main Differences Between Alprazolam and Lorazepam
- When compared to lorazepam, alprazolam performs faster and leaves the symptoms of anxiety as soon as possible.
- The effect of alprazolam lasts for five hours, whereas the effect of lorazepam lasts for eight hours.
- Alprazolam is used in children, whereas lorazepam is used in adults.
- Alprazolam is available in injections, tablets, and oral concentrate, whereas lorazepam is available in intended and extended tablets.
- The standard dosage of alprazolam is 0.25 mg to 0.5mg per day, whereas the standard dosage of lorazepam is 2 to 6 mg per day.
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Edward-Sellers/publication/15572611_Clinical_aspects_of_chronic_use_of_alprazolam_and_lorazepam/links/0046352eb70c8c01b1000000/Clinical-aspects-of-chronic-use-of-alprazolam-and-lorazepam.pdf
- https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1038/clpt.1984.240
Last Updated : 25 June, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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