Management of insomnia--the role of zaleplon

Insomnia is the most frequently reported sleep symptom, severely affecting up to 15% of the US population. The need to effectively treat this disorder is underscored by the significant adverse consequences on the productivity, safety, overall health, and quality of life of the affected individual. Pharmacologic intervention has traditionally involved the use of benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BzRAs), for which efficacy and general safety have been established.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the potentially unique role of zaleplon in the treatment of insomnia.

The clinical experience of the authors was critically applied to peer-reviewed published papers or abstracts regarding zaleplon, which were identified via MEDLINE (1995-September 2000).

Adverse effects, usually related to residual sedation, impose limits on the use of older BzRAs and have prompted the development of new sleep medications with advantageous adverse event profiles. Zaleplon demonstrates a very rapid onset and offset of effect that permits symptomatic rather than prophylactic administration, resulting in comparable efficacy and reduced risk of the adverse effects associated with longer half-life agents.

The characteristics of zaleplon may translate into distinct and significant clinical advances in the treatment of insomnia.