Lorazepam
Brand names: Ativan, Loreev Xr, Lorazepam, Lorazepam Intensol
Part of: Benzodiazepines
At a glance
- Medicare prescriptions, 2024
- 7,199,986
- Medicare drug cost
- $58.1M
- Average cost per prescription
- $8.07
- Clinicians who prescribed it
- 152,388
Where it is prescribed
List the prescribers in any state, county, city or ZIP code →
What it is used for
Lorazepam tablets are indicated for the management of anxiety disorders or for the short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety or anxiety associated with depressive symptoms. Anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic. The effectiveness of lorazepam tablets in long-term use, that is, more than 4 months, has not been assessed by systematic clinical studies. The physician should periodically reassess the usefulness of the drug for the individual patient.
From the FDA-approved prescribing information (label dated July 2026). Full labels on DailyMed (opens in a new tab)
Boxed warning
WARNING: RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required. Follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS). The use of benzodiazepines, including lorazepam, exposes users to risks of abuse, misuse, and addiction, which can lead to overdose or death. Abuse and misuse of benzodiazepines commonly involve concomitant use of other medications, alcohol, and/or illicit substances, which is associated with an increased frequency of serious adverse outcomes. Before prescribing lorazepam and…
The FDA’s strongest warning on a label. It doesn’t mean the drug is unsafe for most people; talk to your doctor or pharmacist before stopping or changing any medicine.
Who prescribes it
- Family Medicine 26.1%
- Internal Medicine 20.8%
- Nurse Practitioners 16.2%
- Psychiatry 14.6%
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners 7.9%
- Physician Assistants 5.4%
- Neurology 1.3%
- General Practice 1.2%
- Geriatric Medicine 1.1%
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 0.7%
- Hematology & Oncology 0.6%
- Cardiology 0.4%
All prescribers, by place, name or specialty →
Share of Medicare prescriptions written by each specialty. Select one to list its prescribers.
Trend, 2019–2024
Medicare prescriptions fell 11% from 2019 to 2024.
Biggest change by state since 2019
- New Hampshire +6%
- Rhode Island +0%
- Hawaii −2%
- Delaware −2%
- New York −3%
- New Mexico (smallest change) −22%
- Alabama (smallest change) −20%
From CMS’s yearly state and national Part D summaries, which count every prescriber, including those CMS leaves out of its per-clinician data (fewer than 11 prescriptions). That is why these totals are higher than the count at the top of this page. Prescriptions include refills.
What it looks like
Pills from 3 makers on file. The same medicine can look different depending on who made it, so check the imprint (the letters and numbers on the pill) with your pharmacist if a refill looks different.
Ani Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mg | white round tablet, 5 mm | E 1 |
| 1 mg | white round tablet, 6 mm, scored to split in 2 | E 2 |
| 2 mg | white round tablet, 7 mm, scored to split in 2 | E 3 |
Pd-Rx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mg | white round tablet, 7 mm, scored to split in 2 | RX 774 |
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mg | white round tablet, 5 mm | RX7 |
| 1 mg | white round tablet, 6 mm, scored to split in 2 | RX 773 |
| 2 mg | white round tablet, 7 mm, scored to split in 2 | RX 774 |
Source: DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), from each maker’s FDA drug listing. A few makers are shown, not every one. Never take a pill you can’t identify; ask a pharmacist.
Industry payments about this drug
Drug makers reported $194,818 in payments to clinicians that named this drug in 2025 (meals, speaking, consulting and similar).
- Almatica Pharma LLC $194,818
Source: CMS Open Payments, general payments (not research), program year 2025. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing. Payments by doctor
Recalls and shortages
On the FDA shortage list now
- Lorazepam, Injection, 2 mg/1 mL (NDC 65219-368-02) (Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC)
- Lorazepam, Injection, 2 mg/1 mL Syringes (NDC 0409-1985-30) (Hospira, Inc., A Pfizer Company)
- Lorazepam, Injection, 2 mg/1 mL (NDC 76329-8261-1) (Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Ativan, Injection, 2 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6000-10) (Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.)
- Ativan, Injection, 2 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6001-25) (Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.)
- Ativan, Injection, 4 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6002-10) (Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.)
- Ativan, Injection, 4 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6003-25) (Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.)
- Lorazepam, Injection, 2 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6044-25) (Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.)
3 recalls since 2020
- Jul 2025 · Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. · Class II
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: An out-of-Specification for total related compounds - May 2023 · Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. · Class II
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: Out-of-specification results for total related compounds observed during retain steting due to the elevated Related Compound-C. - Jul 2022 · Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. · Class II
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: Out-of-specification results observed for total related compounds during testing of retain samples.
Recalls usually affect specific lots from one maker, not every version of a drug. Class I is the most serious; most drug recalls are Class II. FDA recalls (opens in a new tab)
Sources: CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug (2024; prescriptions include refills, and CMS hides counts under 11 per prescriber); U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA (drug labels, NDC directory, enforcement reports, drug shortages); CMS Open Payments 2025; ClinicalTrials.gov. General information only, not medical advice; not yet reviewed by our medical reviewer.