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What does it do?

Midazolam is used to make you calm or sleepy before a medical or dental treatment. It is also sometimes used for other conditions.

Before you start

  • Tell your doctor if you have heart or liver problems, sleep apnoea or a head injury.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

How is it given?

Midazolam is usually given as an injection into a vein, muscle or under the skin. Sometimes the liquid is given by mouth, sprayed into the nose, or used rectally.

Can you take other medicines?

Some medicines available without a prescription may react with midazolam including:

  • some antihistamines (may be in anti-allergy, anti-nausea and cough/cold medicines)
  • fluconazole (e.g. Diflucan®) or miconazole (e.g. Daktarin Oral Gel®)

Tell your pharmacist or doctor about all medicines or treatments that you may be taking, including vitamins, herbal products (e.g. St John's wort, valerian) or recreational drugs.

What side effects might you notice?

Side EffectsRecommended action

Slow or shallow breathing, hard to wake up

Trouble with speech or swallowing

Tell your doctor immediately

Mood changes, agitation, unusual behaviour or thinking, loss of coordination, confusion, trouble concentrating

Tell your doctor

Drowsiness, tiredness, dizziness, headache, memory loss

Hiccups, nausea, vomiting

Pain, tenderness or redness at injection site

Tell your doctor if troublesome

If you notice any other effects, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.

Other information:

  • Midazolam can impair your ability to do tasks such as driving or using machines. Alcohol makes this worse. Discuss your risk with your health professional. (search NZTA - Are you safe to drive?)
  • If you still feel sleepy the next day, do not drive or operate machinery.

This leaflet contains important, but not all, information about this medicine.

Prepared by the MyMedicines Committee at Christchurch Hospital, Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha, New Zealand. March 2023

For more general information about this sheet and its contents, see: What does a My Medicines sheet cover?

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About My Medicines

My Medicines Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) contain important, but not all, information about the medicines they describe.

For more information about the sheets, see: What does a My Medicines sheet cover?

My Medicines is developed by a team at Te Whatu Ora – Waitaha. Our team is made up of doctors, pharmacists, and a non-medical person to help us keep to plain language. We also discuss our information with specialist health professionals or groups when needed