Stella
Stella is a medicine for adults over 18 that helps you fall asleep, calm down, relax muscles, and prevent seizures when insomnia affects your daily life or causes severe distress.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
10 mg
Active Ingredient
Zolpidem hemitartrate
Manufacturer
Teva B.V.
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose for adults is 1 tablet of Stella 10 mg. For elderly or weak patients, the recommended dose is 1/2 tablet of Stella 10 mg.
Method
Take the tablet with liquid just before going to bed.
Important
Do not take more than 10 mg (one 10 mg tablet) in 24 hours.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations).
- •Feeling restless or upset (agitation).
- •Bad dreams (nightmares).
- •Feeling very sad or hopeless (depression).
- •Feeling sleepy (drowsiness).
- •Headache.
- •Feeling dizzy (dizziness).
- •Worsening of sleep problems (insomnia).
- •Problems remembering things (memory loss).
- •Feeling drowsy or groggy the next day.
- •Diarrhea.
- •Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea).
- •Vomiting.
- •Stomach pain.
- •Back pain.
- •Upper and lower respiratory infections.
- •Feeling tired (fatigue).
RARE
- •Feeling confused.
- •Feeling easily annoyed (irritability).
- •Acting threatening or aggressive.
- •Sleepwalking or other unusual actions while sleeping, like driving, eating, making phone calls, or having sex.
- •Feeling intensely happy or excited (euphoria).
- •Numbness, tingling, or prickling sensations on the skin.
- •Shaking (tremors).
- •Difficulty paying attention.
- •Problems with speech.
- •Seeing double.
- •Blurred vision.
- •Skin rash.
- •Itching.
- •Sweating more than usual.
- •Joint pain, muscle aches, muscle cramps, neck pain, muscle weakness.
- •Feeling restless.
- •Increased levels of liver enzymes (shown in blood tests).
- •Loss of appetite.
- •Changes in sex drive.
- •Reduced level of consciousness.
- •Impaired vision.
- •Liver failure.
- •Changes in how you walk.
- •Falls (especially in older people, or if not taken as directed).
- •Hives (urticaria).
- •Severe breathing difficulties, blue lips and nails (respiratory depression).
- •Swelling (angioedema) in the face, lips, or tongue, which can be life-threatening.
- •Psychological reactions like delusions, anger, distorted reality, abnormal behavior, misuse, dependence, withdrawal symptoms, or reduced effect of the medicine.
- •Delirium (a sudden, severe change in mental state causing confusion or disorientation).
- •Lack of muscle coordination.
Important Warnings
- Do not take Stella if you are allergic to zolpidem tartrate or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take Stella if you have irregular breathing or stop breathing while sleeping (sleep apnea).
- Do not take Stella if you have severe liver problems.
- Do not take Stella if you have severe muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis).
- Do not take Stella if you have acute or severe breathing difficulties.
Show 8 more warnings
- Do not take Stella if you have ever sleepwalked or had other unusual behaviors while not fully awake after taking Stella or another zolpidem medicine (like driving, eating, making calls, or having sex).
- Stella should not be given to children or teenagers under 18 years old.
- Talk to your doctor before taking Stella if you have ever had mental health problems, or have misused alcohol, drugs, or medicines, or have been addicted to them.
- Make sure you can sleep for 8 hours without interruption after taking this medicine. Waking up earlier can cause memory problems or confusion.
- Using Stella for more than 4 weeks can lead to dependence. Your doctor will explain how to stop using it gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
- Do not drink alcohol or use other calming substances while taking Stella, as this can increase side effects like unusual sleep behaviors.
- Contact a doctor immediately if you have thoughts of harming yourself.
- Do not take Stella if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category D
Avoid use in older adults. Sedative. For short-term use only. The short-acting nature of the medicinal product increases the risk of adverse effects. Increases the risk of drug addiction, cognitive disorder and traffic accidents. Increases risk of falls. Paradoxically, may increase anxiety, restlessness and aggression. (updated 12.2.2024)