Objective assessment of sleep patterns resulting from benzodiazepines prescribed by general practitioners

Fifteen general practitioners treated 21 newly diagnosed insomniac patients with benzodiazepines. In 15 cases, a short-acting benzodiazepine was prescribed without regard to the type, severity, duration and probable cause of insomnia. Sleep-wake ambulatory recordings were made at the respective homes of the patients before, 1 week and 4-6 weeks after the commencement of drug treatment and once after stopping the medication. In spite of the large variability in sleep complaint as well as in prescribed drug, statistically significant changes of sleep-wake patterns were discerned 1 week after drug intake: sleep onset was shorter, light sleep (NREM stage 2) was increased and sleep efficiency was increased. However, although the subjective complaint appeared to have disappeared, these effects could no longer be measured 4 weeks later or after cessation of medication.