Prescribed Z-drugs may cause complex sleep behaviours and injuries

Excerpt

The US FDA is advising consumers that FDA-approved Z-drugs such as eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata) and zolpidem (Ambien and others) prescribed for insomnia are associated with risks of complex sleep behaviours that may lead to serious injuries and death.Complex sleep behaviours may include somnambulation, sleep driving, sleep cooking, and taking other medication. The FDA has received reports of incidents such as people accidentally overdosing, falling, burning or shooting themselves, or wandering outside in extremely cold weather. These types of behaviours may occur after the first dose of a Z-drug or after continued use.Patients should read the Patient Medication Guide as soon as they get their first prescription of a Z-drug filled and before they start taking the medicine. If they experience a complex sleep behaviour, they should stop taking the drug and contact their healthcare professional immediately. They should not take these medicines with any other sleep drugs, including over-the-counter products, and should not drink alcohol before or while taking these medicines because this may increase the risk of adverse events. They should keep in mind that all insomnia medication can impair the ability to drive and activities that require alertness the morning after use. …