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When to take Intermezzo


  • You do not take Intermezzo at bedtime and you only take it when you need it
  • Take 1 tablet in bed if you wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty falling back to sleep
  • Make sure you have at least 4 hours of sleep left before you take Intermezzo
  • Do not take more than 1 tablet per night

Dosing time tools are provided with each prescription

You can use the Intermezzo Dosing Time Chart that comes with Intermezzo to find the latest time during the night you can take Intermezzo.

  • Find the earliest time you have to be awake in the column on the left
  • Find the latest time you can take Intermezzo on the same line in the column on the right


You can also use the Intermezzo Dosing Time Tool to find the latest time during the night that you can take Intermezzo.

  • Turn the Intermezzo Dosing Time Tool wheel to show the earliest time that you must be awake under the green arrow
  • Take Intermezzo before the time under the brown arrow

If you need to find the latest time you can take Intermezzo right away or need to find a more specific time, use the Dosing Time Calculator found in the sleep resources section.

Important Safety Information

Do not take Intermezzo® (zolpidem tartrate) if you are allergic to zolpidem or any other ingredients in Intermezzo. Do not take Intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as Ambien®.

Serious allergic reactions may occur and may be fatal. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction to Intermezzo can include swelling of your face, lips, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, and nausea and vomiting.

If Intermezzo is taken with other medicines that can make you sleepy, it can add to sleepiness caused by these medicines. Intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night. Do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking Intermezzo and until you feel fully awake.

Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.

Driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. Other abnormal behaviors including being more outgoing or aggressive, as well as confusion, hallucinations, and agitation, may occur. Don’t take Intermezzo if you drank alcohol that day or before bed, as it may increase these behaviors.

In depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide may occur.

If you experience any of these behaviors or reactions, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency.

Common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue.

For more information, please read the Full Prescribing Information for Intermezzo, including the Medication Guide.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088, or contact Purdue Pharma L.P. at 1-888-726-7535.

Ambien is a registered trademark of Sanofi.

Important Safety Information

Do not take Intermezzo® (zolpidem tartrate) if you are allergic to zolpidem or any other ingredients in Intermezzo. Do not take Intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as Ambien®.

Please read the additional Important Safety Information below.

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This information is intended for healthcare professionals of the United States of America only.
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