Some antidepressants, anti-epileptic drugs such as phenobarbital, phenytoin and carbamazepine, sedative antihistamines, opiates, antipsychotics and alcohol when taken with lorazepam may result in enhanced sedative effects.

edit PharmacokineticsLorazepam is highly protein bound and is extensively metabolised into pharmacologically inactive metabolites. As a result dosage recommendations for the elderly are about half of those used in younger individuals and used for no longer than two weeks. Recreational use, wherein the drug is taken to achieve a high, or when the drug is continued long term against medical advice. However, if mechanical ventilation becomes necessary, lorazepam may be used to facilitate deep sedation. Do not use Ativan without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. It has a fairly short duration of action (Venable and Aschenbrenner 2009). Lorazepam was first introduced by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in 1971 under the brand names of Ativan and Temesta. They can add to sleepiness caused by this medication. Using the smallest dose needed to achieve desired effects lessens the risk of adverse effects. * Sleep apnea – Sleep apnea may be worsened by lorazepam's central nervous system depressant effects.