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Related Concept Videos

Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

312
The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
312
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

231
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
231
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines01:14

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

432
CNS depressants include drugs from the category of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. They are valuable medications for managing anxiety disorders and insomnia. Barbiturates, once used to induce and maintain sleep, have been replaced mainly by benzodiazepines due to barbiturate's toxicity, tolerance, and overdose risks. They interact with GABAA receptors, leading to sedation at low doses and potentially coma and death at higher doses. Phenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, possesses...
432
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview01:23

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

591
Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
591
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates01:20

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates

432
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a drug class that acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to alleviate anxiety, promote relaxation and induce sleep.These drugs function by amplifying the actions of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), resulting in reduced neuronal activity. Barbiturates, a subset of sedatives and hypnotics first synthesized in the late 1800s, are categorized into ultra-short, short, intermediate, and long-acting groups based on their duration of effect. A...
432
Insomnia01:27

Insomnia

119
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
119

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Hypnotic Discontinuation in Chronic Insomnia.

Jonathan P Hintze1, Jack D Edinger2

  • 1Intermountain Healthcare Services, Inc, 652 S Medical Centre Drive, Suite 310, St George, UT 84790-7266, USA.

Sleep Medicine Clinics
|September 23, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Discontinuing hypnotic medications for insomnia can be challenging. This article reviews effective strategies and supporting evidence for successfully stopping sleep-inducing drugs.

Keywords:
BenzodiazepinesDeprescribingDiscontinuationHypnoticInsomniaSleep disorder

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Area of Science:

  • Sleep Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Insomnia disorder affects 9-15% of the population.
  • Hypnotic medications are widely used for insomnia treatment.
  • Discontinuation of hypnotics is often difficult and unsuccessful.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss strategies for discontinuing hypnotic medications.
  • To review the evidence supporting these discontinuation strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on hypnotic discontinuation.
  • Analysis of evidence for various cessation strategies.

Main Results:

  • Common hypnotics include benzodiazepines, melatonin agonists, and others.
  • Effective strategies for hypnotic discontinuation exist.
  • Evidence supports the use of specific methods for cessation.

Conclusions:

  • Successful hypnotic discontinuation is achievable with appropriate strategies.
  • Further research may refine evidence-based discontinuation protocols.