Zolpidem: Efficacy and side effects for insomnia

Abstract

Insomnia is linked to fatigue, distractibility, mood instability, decreased satisfaction, and overall decreased quality of life. Optimal therapy can aid patients in returning to baseline and increase their quality of life. Zolpidem is a helpful drug for the treatment of insomnia in conjunction with cognitive-behavioral therapy. When prescribed to elderly patients, the dose should be adjusted to account for their slower drug metabolism. Still, zolpidem is considered a reasonable choice of therapy because it has a lower incidence of residual daytime sleepiness and risk of falls when compared to other drugs. The most concerning adverse effects, which are often the most publicized, include the complex behaviors that have been seen in patients taking Zolpidem, such as sleeping, hallucinations, increased suicidality, driving cars while asleep, and even a few cases of committing homicide. Even so, zolpidem could be a suitable pharmacological treatment for insomnia. Decisions for whether or not to prescribe it and the dosage should be made on a case-by-case basis, considering both the psychical and psychiatric risks posed to the patient with insomnia versus if the patient were to take zolpidem to treat their condition.