Buspirone
Description
Buspirone is used to treat anxiety disorders. An anxiety disorder is a type of mental health condition, characterised by feelings of worry, and fear that are strong enough to interfere with your daily activities. This medicine alters the level of chemicals present in your brain that are responsible for anxiety.
Buspirone may cause side effects like sweating, ringing in the ears, dryness of your mouth etc. Most of these side effects are temporary and resolve on their own. Consult your doctor if these side effects are persistent or getting worse. Avoid driving vehicles or operating heavy machines as this medicine can make your vision blurry.
Buspirone can be taken with or without food, as prescribed by your doctor. Your dose will be dependent on your condition. Try taking this medicine same time every day to maintain a constant level of medicine in your blood. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting with your doctor as your symptoms could come back.
Buspirone is not recommended to be used in children below 18 years of age. Inform your doctor about all your current medicines and medical conditions. This can help your doctor to adjust your dose for avoiding side effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Buspirone
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Restlessness
- Nervousness
- Blurred vision
- Diarrhoea
- Dryness of mouth
- Ringing in ears
- Sweating
Uses of Buspirone
What is it prescribed for?
- Anxiety disorder
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe onset of action of Buspirone is clinically unknown.
- Duration of effectBuspirone can remain in your body for around 18 hours.
- Safe with alcohol?Consumption of alcohol is not recommended during treatment with Buspirone due to the increased risk of side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty in concentrating.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendency has been reported for Buspirone.
- Usage in pregnancy?Buspirone is not recommended for use in pregnant women as not enough studies are done to understand its safety and efficacy. Consult with your doctor before using this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?It is not known whether Buspirone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding a baby before using this medicine.
Allergy
Buspirone is not recommended if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) are a class of medicines used to treat depression. Buspirone is not recommended for use if you have taken MAOIs within the last 14 days due to the increased risk of serious side effects.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Buspirone is not recommended for use in pregnant women as not enough studies are done to understand its safety and efficacy. Consult with your doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
It is not known whether Buspirone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding a baby before using this medicine.
General warnings
Kidney impairment
Buspirone should be used with caution if you have kidney problems as a diseased kidney will not be able to filter the medicine properly. This can increase the risk of toxicity. Your doctor will monitor your kidney functions closely and/or adjust your dose if required.
Liver impairment
Buspirone should be used with extreme caution if you have liver problems as this medicine is broken down and absorbed in the liver, and if your liver is not working correctly, it might cause a buildup of its metabolites, resulting in toxicity.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose of Buspirone as soon as you remember. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose of Buspirone.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Consumption of alcohol is not recommended during treatment with Buspirone due to the increased risk of side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty in concentrating.
Interaction with Medicine
Amitriptyline
Amlodipine
Citalopram
Fluvoxamine
Codeine
Dolasetron
Disease interactions
Depression
Buspirone is not recommended for use if you have a known history of depression due to the increased risk of behavioural changes, aggressiveness, agitation, and mental depression.
Food interactions
Consumption of grapefruit juice should be avoided during treatment with Buspirone due to the increased risk of severe side effects.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Buspirone with or without food. Make sure you drink plenty of water with it to avoid stomach irritation. Do not break, crush or chew the tablet.
Keep Buspirone away from the reach of children and pets. Do not use it after the expiry date. Do not share your medicine with other people even if their symptoms appear to be the same as yours.
Inform your doctor if you notice any undesirable effects or if your symptoms are not improving after taking a few doses of Buspirone.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Buspirone works by acting on serotonin (a natural chemical that alters mood) present in your brain which is responsible for behaviour, thinking, and reasoning.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Miscellaneous anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics
Schedule
Schedule H
Drugs, H., 2021. Buspirone: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: [Accessed 8 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - BUSPIRONE HCL- buspirone hydrochloride tablet. [online] Available at: [Accessed 8 November 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Buspirone 10mg Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: [Accessed 8 November 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 24 Jan 2023
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.