Ambien, also known as generic name zolpidem, is a sedative-hypnotic to help treat insomnia. Immediate-release pills are for those who have difficulty falling asleep, while extended-release pills are for those who have trouble staying asleep. Here You know more about how long does Ambien stay in your system?
Ambien works by slowing brain activity. It acts as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. As the medication works on the brain receptors, its half-life and effectiveness are measurable accordingly.
For how long Ambien remain in the System?
Ambien reaches a peak blood concentration within 30 minutes of its intake. It is effective very quickly. The time Ambien takes to decrease by half, or its half-life, is 1.5 hours approximately. However, the effects of Ambien last for up to 8 hours following the use of the medication. Generally, for an average adult, Ambien gets entirely out of the system within 14 hours of use though Ambien is detectable for much longer depending upon several factors and types of testing.
Factors Influencing How Long Ambien Stays in Your System:
- Age: Age is a general factor that affects how fast a body can get rid of any drug. Younger adults are likely to metabolize drugs more quickly than older people. Organs function slowly as people age. It also affects the rate of metabolism and drug elimination process.
- Body type: Body mass affects the rate of elimination. Ambien is soluble in water, so people with more body fat will get rid of the drug faster as they have lesser water in their bodies.
- Food intake: For how long Ambien stays in the system also depends on the amount and food and fluid a person takes with the medication. Eating a large amount of food with Ambien will take more time to clear the drug. It happens because the body organs work to metabolize food and drug both, which will eventually slow the process. On the contrary, drug clearance speeds up if an individual drink a lot of water while taking Ambien, as their urine output increases, thus clearing the drug faster from their system.
- Functioning of organs: Some organs play a vital role in drug metabolism, especially the liver. If the liver is not functioning appropriately, the drug elimination process may take longer as the liver is responsible for breaking down Ambien in the body.
- Rate of metabolism: People with high metabolic rates tend to burn a more elevated amount of energy while at rest and clear Ambien faster than those with a lower rate of metabolism.
- Dosage of Ambien: The amount of dosage taken determines how long the drug will take to clear out of the body. A person taking a higher dosage of Ambien will take longer to clear the drug than someone who is taking a standard dose. It is because, at higher dosages, more metabolites form, and the body takes longer to clear them out.
- Frequency of use: An individual taking Ambien more often tends to have remainders of the drug in the system. The elimination process will take longer as the body must metabolize more drugs.
Types of Ambien Testing :
Ambien is detectable in a variety of tests:
Urine Testing: Urine detects the metabolites of Ambien. Ambien is detectable in urine for up to 72 hours after use.
Hair Testing: Ambien remains detectable in hair for the most extended duration, ranging from 3-5 weeks following its use.
Saliva Testing: Ambien is traceable in saliva after 15 minutes of use and can be detectable for up to 8 hours following the intake.