The FDA warned in mid-March that all prescription sleeping pills have the potential to cause bizarre behaviors, such as “sleep-driving.” In extremely rare instances, patients have been known to get up in the night and drive, with no later memory of the event.
About one out of 1,000 persons on these medications has experienced unusual behaviors such as sleep driving, preparing and eating food, making phone calls, or even having sex while asleep. More common than middle-of-the-night excursions is driving while still feeling dangerously drowsy, for example, during an early morning commute.
Although extremely rare, another reported risk is a life-threatening allergic reaction and severe facial swelling. This side effect can occur with first use or anytime thereafter when the pills are taken. Seek immediate emergency treatment for such an occurrence.
Later this year, pharmaceutical companies that manufacture 13 prescription sleep medications will include new, extensive warnings in a special “medication guide” brochure. Some insomnia drugs may be riskier than others. The FDA has recommended clinical trials to compare their complications and frequencies with which they occur.
Ambien and a second drug Phenergan were implicated in sleep-driving headlines last year when Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed into a barrier outside the U.S. Capitol building. Kennedy stated that he did not recall being behind the wheel.
To lower the risk of sleep-driving and other risky behaviors, patients are advised never to take any prescription insomnia drug with alcohol or another sedating drug. Also, never exceed the recommended dosage.
The thirteen drugs for insomnia, so-called “sedative-hypnotics,” which will carry the new warnings are: Ambien, Butisol sodium; Carbrital; Dalmane; Doral; Halcion; Lunesta; Placidyl; Prosom; Restoril; Rozerem; Seconal; and Sonata.
Source: CNN.com
March 17th, 2007
More Americans than ever are turning to sleep medications to get through the night. Ads promising safe slumber with little or no side effects may be behind this new trend. Many of us lead stressful lives — at the office, in our long commutes, raising children, and caring for older parents. It may be next to impossible to tune it all out at night.
Health experts are concerned that these drugs may be over-prescribed. About 42 million prescriptions for sleeping pills were filled in 2005, up nearly 60 percent since 2000. At least 10 percent of U.S. adults complain of having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. Although the newer drugs may not carry the same risk of dependence as the older ones (usually barbiturates), there is concern that they can sometimes cause strange side effects.
Episodes of sleepwalking or short-term amnesia may be connected to their long term use. In taking sleeping pills, many experience continued sleepiness for several hours after awakening.
Among the most commonly prescribed sleep aids are Ambien and Lunesta. The drug Sonata is shorter acting and may work better for persons who have difficulty falling asleep but who are able to sleep through the night.
Some psychiatrists believe that difficulty sleeping can be a sign of multiple disorders. Among them might be anxiety and depression, problems which are not being addressed.
Developing sleep-promoting habits in the hours just prior to bedtime could solve your insomnia better than taking pills, in the long run. Suggested strategies: Use your bed only for sleep and for sex; take a warm shower to relax; don’t watch violent movies just before bedtime; don’t exercise in the late evening hours; drink a glass of warm milk; avoid caffeine in the evening; gently wind down your conversations; listen to a relaxation tape at bedtime; try to fall asleep in the same general time frame each night.
Labels on sleep medications warn that they should be used only when you can devote a full night to sleeping. If taken in the wee hours of the morning, these drugs could cause sleepiness when driving to work or school or even temporary memory loss.
Newer drugs, such as Rozerem, are coming on the market which may pose fewer long-term risks. This drug acts on the brain’s melatonin receptors, thought to play a role in sleeping and waking cycles.
The best strategy, if possible, is to avoid taking pills to sleep each night. Reducing the stress in your life, developing good sleep preparation habits, or addressing any psychological problems with your doctor may be the wisest course.
Sources: New York Times (date?) (www.nytimes.com); Dr. Dean Edell, ABC daily broadcasts (www.healthcentral.com)
March 29th, 2006