Class Name(s):

• 28:24.08 Benzodiazepines

Pronunciation:

• (mid' ay zoe lam)

Brand Name(s):

• Versed^® Injection; also available generically

IMPORTANT WARNING:

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; opiate medications for cough such as codeine (in Triacin-C, in Tuzistra XR) or hydrocodone (in Anexsia, in Norco, in Zyfrel) or for pain such as codeine, fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Subsys, others), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Astramorph, Duramorph PF, Kadian), oxycodone (in Oxycet, in Percocet, in Roxicet, others), and tramadol (Conzip, Ultram, in Ultracet); sedatives; sleeping pills; or tranquilizers.

WHY is this medicine prescribed?

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.

HOW should this medicine be used?

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.

Are there OTHER USES for this medication?

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS should I follow?

Before receiving midazolam injection,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to midazolam or any other medications.
• some medications should not be taken with midazolam injection. Other medications may cause dosing changes or extra monitoring when taken with midazolam injection. Make sure you have discussed any medications you are currently taking or plan to take before starting midazolam injection with your doctor and pharmacist. Before starting, stopping, or changing any medications while taking midazolam injection, please get the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
• the following nonprescription or herbal products may interact with midazolam injection: cimetidine (Tagamet). Be sure to let your doctor and pharmacist know that you are taking this medication before you start receiving midazolam injection. Do not start this medication while receiving midazolam injection without discussing with your healthcare provider.
• tell your doctor if you have glaucoma (increased pressure in the eyes that may cause gradual loss of vision). Your doctor may decide not to give you midazolam injection.
• tell your doctor if you have recently stopped drinking large amounts of alcohol or if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
• 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.
• you should know that midazolam may make you very drowsy and may affect your memory, thinking, and movements. Do not drive a car or do other activities that require you to be fully alert for at least 24 hours after receiving midazolam and until the effects of the medication have worn off. If your child is receiving midazolam injection, watch him or her carefully to be sure that he or she does not fall while walking during this time.
• you should know that alcohol can make the side effects from midazolam injection worse.
• you should know that some studies in young children have raised concerns that repeated or lengthy use (>3 hours) of general anesthetic or sedation drugs such as midazolam in infants and children younger than 3 years of age or in women in the last few months of their pregnancy may affect the child's brain development. Other studies in infants and toddlers show that a single, short exposure to anesthetic and sedation drugs is unlikely to have negative effects on behavior or learning. However, further research is needed to fully understand the effects of exposure to anesthesia on brain development in young children. Parents and caregivers of children younger than 3 years of age and pregnant women should talk to their doctors about the risks of anesthesia on brain development and appropriate timing of procedures that require general anesthetic or sedation medications.

What SPECIAL DIETARY instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

What SIDE EFFECTS can this medicine cause?

Midazolam injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• headache
• drowsiness
• nausea
• vomiting
• hiccups
• coughing
• pain, redness, or hardening of the skin at the injection site

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• 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 (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

What should I do in case of OVERDOSE?

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at http://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

• drowsiness
• confusion
• problems with balance and movement
• slowed reflexes
• slowed breathing and heartbeat
• coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)

What OTHER INFORMATION should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about midazolam injection.

Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.

This report on medications is for your information only, and is not considered individual patient advice. Because of the changing nature of drug information, please consult your physician or pharmacist about specific clinical use.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. represents that the information provided hereunder was formulated with a reasonable standard of care, and in conformity with professional standards in the field. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to such information and specifically disclaims all such warranties. Users are advised that decisions regarding drug therapy are complex medical decisions requiring the independent, informed decision of an appropriate health care professional, and the information is provided for informational purposes only. The entire monograph for a drug should be reviewed for a thorough understanding of the drug's actions, uses and side effects. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. does not endorse or recommend the use of any drug. The information is not a substitute for medical care.

AHFS^® Patient Medication Information™ Copyright, 2025. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists^®, 4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.

Selected Revisions: April 15, 2017.