Ambien, also known by its generic name, zolpidem, is a sedative prescribed to treat insomnia.
Ambien’s original purpose was to treat short insomnia spells, such as jet lag.
However, healthcare providers commonly prescribe the drug for longer periods of time and the effects can be dangerous.
If you or a loved one has taken zolpidem and suffered a sleepwalking episode, you may be entitled to compensation through Ambien lawsuits in Oklahoma.
FAQ: Ambien Lawsuits in Oklahoma
Ambien comes in two forms: regular Ambien and Ambien CR, an extended release form.
Ambien CR has an outer layer that dissolves to bring about sleep sooner, and then an inner layer that sustains sleep.
A health care provider can be sued for malpractice if it can be shown that he or she was negligent in prescribing the sedative or failed to monitor the patient in long-term use of the drug.
Health care providers are just one potential defendant in a pharmaceutical injury lawsuit.
Many individual lawsuits and class actions have been brought against the manufacturers of zolpidem and Ambien — the latest in 2014, where a class action was instituted against Sanofi, one of the manufacturers of Ambien.
Additional Considerations
In January 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration lowered the recommended dose for Ambien.
They also suggested heightened warnings be placed on the drug cartons, especially on the packaging for the CR version of the drug.
One of those warnings is that if one takes the drug to sleep, no activities requiring alertness should be performed until four hours after waking.
Ambien has become notorious in the news as of late because of sleepwalking episodes.
A number of users, nicknamed “Ambien zombies” have experienced active sleepwalking while driving.
Others binge eat, make phone calls or have sex while technically asleep. The “zombie” usually has no memories of these activities after he or she awakens.
Such sleepwalking episodes have caused car accidents and deaths; hence, the filing of many Ambien lawsuits in Oklahoma.
Free Consultation: Tulsa Pharmaceutical Injury Attorney
To find out if you might be entitled to compensation for injuries that resulted from Ambien or zolpidem, contact the Personal Injury Law Office of Tulsa today.
For a free, no-obligation consultation, call 918-924-5528.
You may also send your question using the email form on this page.
