Abstract
The medications currently approved for the treatment of insomnia include 9 benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) hypnotics and the selective melatonin receptor agonist ramelteon. The BZRA hypnotics include the newer nonbenzodiazepine agents as well as benzodiazepines; the nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics tend to have shorter half-lives and are better at targeting sedation exclusively during the nighttime. The development of modified-release formulations of BZRA hypnotics, such as Zolpidem extended-release, has been a key innovation. These formulations allow both rapid and sustained release of the medication and may reduce the risk of next-day effects. Ramelteon has been shown to improve sleep during the early portion of the sleep period. Investigational agents include alternate-delivery formulations of BZRA compounds, which may help treat nighttime awakenings.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 266-271 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Drug Benefit Trends |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| State | Published - Oct 1 2009 |
Keywords
- Insomnia
- Sleep disorders
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health Policy
- Pharmacology (medical)