Appropriate use of benzodiazepines in insomnia: clinical update

Insomnia and anxiety are frequently experienced not only by healthy persons, but in their more intense expressions, by patients suffering from a variety of medical and psychiatric disorders. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (1990) lists 88 types of sleep disorders. Thirty-three of these are related to insomnia and belong to the categories of intrinsic sleep disorders, extrinsic sleep disorders, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, and sleep disorders associated with medical or psychiatric disorders. Benzodiazepines are frequently used for the treatment of insomnia. For optimal treatment of insomnia, exact diagnosis, correct understanding of the biology, and appropriate use of the drugs are essential.