Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T08:06:16.973Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Zopiclone: A Non-Benzodiazepine Hypnotic

Controlled Comparison to Temazepam in Insomnia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

David Wheatley*
Affiliation:
The Psychopharmacology Research Group, 325 Staines Road, Twickenham, TW2 5AX

Summary

Zopiclone, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic, was compared with temazepam in the treatment of 36 patients suffering from insomnia; the trial period was two weeks, with cross-over of medications at one week and a randomised order of administration. There were highly significant improvements with both drugs, as compared to the control period in respect of: sleep latency, number of times waking during the night, and quality and duration of sleep. The incidence of side-effects was very low. No significant between-drug differences were found in respect of any of the assessment measures or of the incidence of side-effects.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Breimer, D. D. & Jochemsen, R. (1981). Pharmacokinetics of hypnotic drugs. In Psychopharmacology of Sleep (ed. Wheatley, D.), New York: Raven Press.Google Scholar
Chaudoir, P. J., Jarvie, N. C. & Wilcox, G. J. (1983) The acceptability of a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic (zopiclone) in general practice. Journal of International Medical Research, 11, 333337.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Giercksky, K-E, & Wickstrom, E. (1980) A dose-response study in situational insomnia with zopiclone. A new tranquillizer. Clinical Therapeutics, 3, 2127.Google Scholar
Hindmarch, I. (1980) Psychomotor function and psychoactive drugs. British Journal of Chemical Pharmacology, 10, 189210.Google ScholarPubMed
Lader, M & Denny, S. (1983) The residual effects of zopiclone – a dose effect study. In Zopiclone: Third generation of Hypnotics, (ed. Dreyfus, J. F. & Nicholson, A. N.), Basle Karger.Google Scholar
Nicholson, A. N. & Stone, B. M. (1983) Zopiclone: Sleep and performance studies in healthy man. In Zopiclone: Third Generation of Hypnotics, (ed. Dreyfus, J. F. & Nicholson, A. N.). Basle Karger.Google Scholar
Parker, G. & Roberts, C. J. C. (1983) Plasma concentrations and central nervous system effects of the new hypnotic agent zopiclone in patients with chronic liver disease. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 16, 259265.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seppala, T. Dreyfus, J. F., Saario, I. & Nuotto, E. (1982) Zopiclone and flunitrazepam in healthy subjects: Hypnotic activity, residual efffects on performance and combined effects with alcohol. Drugs under Experimental and Chemical Research, VIII, 3547.Google Scholar
Wheatley, D. (1981) Effects of drugs on sleep. In Psychopharmacology of Sleep (ed. Wheatley, D.) New York: Raven Press.Google Scholar
Wickstrom, E & Giercksky, K-E (1980) Comparative study of zopiclone, a novel hypnotic, and three benzodiazepines. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 17, 9399.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.