The information on this site is intended to supplement and enhance, not replace, the advice of a physician who is familiar with your medical history. Decisions about your health should always be made ONLY after detailed conversation with your doctor.
Limited Use
[what does this mean?]
Generic drug name:
buspirone
(Bu SPIRE own)
Brand name(s):
BUSPAR
GENERIC:
not available
FAMILY:
Other Sleeping Pills and Tranquilizers
Find the drug label by
searching at DailyMed.
Pregnancy and Breast-feeding Warnings [top]
Pregnancy Warning
No valid data are available for buspirone, as it was not tested properly in animal studies. Use during pregnancy only for clear medical reasons. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant before you take this drug.
Breast-feeding Warning
Buspirone and its metabolites are excreted in milk. Buspirone should not be given to nursing women.
Safety Warnings For This Drug [top]
The best way to reduce the risks from sleeping pills and tranquilizers is to avoid them if at all possible. Before taking one of these powerful medications, see the Sleeping Pills and Tranquilizers section of this site for nondrug alternatives to try before using either sleeping pills or tranquilizers.
Facts About This Drug [top]
Buspirone is an antianxiety agent, which differs chemically from the benzodiazepine drugs and appears to lack the potential for addiction common to this family of drugs, such as Xanax and Valium. While buspirone is less apt than the benzodiazepines to cause drowsiness, drowsiness remains a common side effect. Although buspirone is preferred for older adults, compared to other drugs available,[1] information about buspirone is limited, and much is still unknown, including its long-term safety...
Buspirone is an antianxiety agent, which differs chemically from the benzodiazepine drugs and appears to lack the potential for addiction common to this family of drugs, such as Xanax and Valium. While buspirone is less apt than the benzodiazepines to cause drowsiness, drowsiness remains a common side effect. Although buspirone is preferred for older adults, compared to other drugs available,[1] information about buspirone is limited, and much is still unknown, including its long-term safety and effectiveness.[2],[3] Adverse effects are often paradoxical (drowsiness or insomnia, anorexia or weight gain). While buspirone is used for short-term anxiety, it takes a few weeks to work. In some people buspirone may increase anxiety, rather than alleviate it.[4] A decision to use buspirone should be reviewed periodically.
Anxiety is a universal emotion closely allied with appropriate fears.[5] No drug is useful for the stress of everyday living. Try nondrug therapies for anxiety first. Explore preventable causes of anxiety, such as overuse of caffeine, as well as medical/physical causes. Drugs may control but do not cure anxiety.
If you already take a benzodiazepine or antidepressant, your doctor should taper you off those drugs before trying buspirone. However, if you have already taken a benzodiazepine, the buspirone is less likely to be effective.[6]
A March 2014 study in the United Kingdom found an increase in the risk of death in people using tranquilizers or sleeping pills compared with people not using them. The results were similar to those from a 2012 study. Concerns about the effect of these drugs on premature mortality have been fueled by studies documenting increased risk of dementia, daytime fatigue, lack of coordination, falls, road traffic incidents, pneumonia and other infections.[7]
Before You Use This Drug [top]
Tell your doctor if you have or have had:
Tell your doctor about any other drugs you take, including aspirin, herbs, vitamins, and other nonprescription products.
When You Use This Drug [top]
How to Use This Drug [top]
Interactions with Other Drugs [top]
The following drugs, biologics (e.g., vaccines, therapeutic antibodies), or foods are listed in Evaluations of Drug Interactions 2003 as causing “highly clinically significant” or “clinically significant” interactions when used together with any of the drugs in this section. In some sections with multiple drugs, the interaction may have been reported for one but not all drugs in this section, but we include the interaction because the drugs in this section are similar to one another. We have also included potentially serious interactions listed in the drug’s FDA-approved professional package insert or in published medical journal articles. There may be other drugs, especially those in the families of drugs listed below, that also will react with this drug to cause severe adverse effects. Make sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist the drugs you are taking and tell them if you are taking any of these interacting drugs:
Taking buspirone with any MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitors may increase your blood pressure. Do not take buspirone for at least 10 days after stopping any of these MAO inhibitors: deprenyl, ELDEPRYL, furazolidone, FUROXONE, isocarboxazid, MARPLAN, MATULANE, NARDIL, PARNATE, phenelzine, procarbazine, selegiline, tranylcypromine.
Other interacting drugs are: CALAN SR, carbamazepine, CARDIZEM CD, COVERA-HS, DECADRON, dexamethasone, DILACOR XR, DILANTIN, diltiazem, EES, ERYTHROCIN, erythromycin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, nefazodone, NIZORAL, NORVIR, phenobarbital, phenytoin, , rifampin, RIMACTANE, ritonavir, SERZONE, SPORANOX, TEGRETOL, verapamil.
Adverse Effects [top]
Call your doctor immediately if you experience:
Call your doctor if these symptoms continue:
Signs of overdose:
If you suspect an overdose, call this number to contact your poison control center: (800) 222-1222.
Periodic Tests[top]
Ask your doctor which of these tests should be done periodically while you are taking this drug:
last reviewed July 31, 2024
Worst Pills, Best Pills is a project of Public Citizen's Health Research Group Group. As an independent, nonprofit organization, we take no corporate or government contributions and accept no advertising. Copyright © 2024 Public Citizen's Health Research Group. All rights reserved.
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