Melatonin Increasingly Used in Hospitalized Patients

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Hospital Pharmacy
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• The utilization of melatonin for insomnia among hospitalized individuals remains largely unquantified.
• Understanding temporal patterns of melatonin prescribing is crucial for optimizing inpatient sleep management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the trends in melatonin prescribing for insomnia in hospitalized patients.
• To compare these trends with the usage of zopiclone and lorazepam over a six-year period.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational study was conducted from January 2013 to December 2018.
• Pharmacy dispensing data from two academic urban hospitals in Toronto, Canada, were analyzed.
• Medication usage rates were standardized per 1,000 inpatient days.

Main Results:

• Melatonin use escalated from minimal levels to over 70 doses per 1,000 inpatient days.
• Concurrently, zopiclone use decreased by approximately 20 doses per 1,000 inpatient days.
• Melatonin use was notably higher in internal medicine and critical care units and varied between hospitals.

Conclusions:

• Hospital-based melatonin prescribing for insomnia has markedly increased between 2013 and 2018.
• This rise in melatonin use contributed significantly to an overall increase in the utilization of sleep medications.
• Melatonin may be increasingly used for patients who might not have otherwise received pharmacological sleep support.