Problems with night rest are familiar to everyone. Insomnia can be caused by a physical illness, severe anxiety, anxiety, heavy thoughts, or fatigue. Non-drug relaxation methods are not always effective. To give the brain a chance to rest, many people regularly or periodically need to use sleeping pills. Some products are relatively harmless and belong to the over-the-counter group. Potent ones affect the activity of the nervous system, interfering with biochemical processes. They are released only upon confirmation of the prescription by a doctor.
Sleeping pills: what is it
Sleeping pills
in Latin they sound like “hypnotic” - after all, in Ancient Rome and Greece the god of sleep was called Hypnos.
Doctors call this not only drugs that induce sleep, but also drugs that ensure its quality and duration. Sleeping pills can also be used as painkillers
.
Absolutely all sleeping pills are potent drugs
, and can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. The type and amount of sleeping pills that a person needs can only be determined by a specialist. Its effect on the body depends on the correctly selected drug and dosage, as well as whether this medicine will bring you benefit or harm.
But often due to stress, overexertion, alcohol abuse, illness, and harmful environmental conditions, the brain begins to produce little of this hormone. If the body lacks endogenous melatonin, its deficiency can be replenished with a synthetic analogue.
This drug “Melaxen” (synonyms: “Melatonin”, “Yukalin”) restores the disrupted sleep-wake cycle. A person falls asleep faster, and sleep becomes deep and complete. Over time, it does not stop at all until the morning. Many patients note that their dreams themselves have become calmer and more pleasant.
Category 4 - antiallergic drugs. The so-called H1 histamine receptor blockers - suprastin, tavegil, pipolfen, etc. - Especially the first generation - diphenhydramine, diazolin, etc. Interest in these drugs is caused by the fact that they have one of the side effects - it induces sleep, which is what we need . If people take these pills purely for allergies, they want to get rid of this effect, which is not always successful. Moreover, even new generations of antiallergic drugs - ZODAK, FEXADIN, EZLOR still have at least a slight sedative and hypnotic effect, since their mechanism of action is the same.
Category 5 - benzodiazepines. This is everyone's favorite PHENAZEPAM. We will not describe the instructions for phenazepam here, we will only say that phenazepam is recognized as a “strong sleeping pill.” Fast action - within a minute, and the most important property is the guarantee of action. Of course, like all serious medications, phenazepam is used for many disorders, primarily anxiety, anxiety, and a feeling of fear. For those people whose sleep disturbance is caused by these symptoms, phenazepam will be an ideal medicine. But, as they say, even with phenazepam there will be a person who will say that there is zero effect, just like I didn’t sleep, I still can’t sleep, I got a slight dizziness and that’s all. This is where the pharmacist/pharmacist may have a dead end; stronger drugs are no longer available in the pharmacy.
As a rule, all of the above drugs are available with a doctor’s prescription, and it is almost impossible to purchase them at a pharmacy on your own.
"Barboval"
This is a mild sleeping pill for humans, which has a combined effect. The medication is available in the form of drops. The drug not only helps improve sleep, but also affects the functioning of the stomach and intestines. The remedy is excellent for people who cannot sleep due to flatulence and other gastrointestinal problems. In addition, Barboval drops help overcome depression and neuroses. The medication has virtually no contraindications. Only in rare cases may hypersensitivity to the main components develop.
Barboval drops can be taken for two weeks, 2-3 drops per day. The drug must be taken with plenty of water. Side effects of drops are associated with overdose. Excessive sleepiness and fatigue may occur. Sleeping pills for older people should be taken only after consulting a doctor.
Rapid-acting sleeping pills without a prescription
There are several types of fairly simple and long-known fast-acting sleeping pills in drops that can have a positive effect on insomnia. Such drugs include Corvalol, Barboval, as well as soothing tinctures of valerian, motherwort and hawthorn.
- Calm down
. The tablets have a sedative effect and do not cause side effects or addiction. The drug is indicated for nervous agitation and insomnia. Price in pharmacies from 70 rubles. for 20 tablets. - Nevoheel
is available in tablet form and has a mild hypnotic effect. Price from 350 rub.
Homeopathic sedatives without a prescription do not cause lethargy or daytime sleepiness. However, they do not have a clear proven effect: some say that they help to fall asleep, while others do not have such an impression.
The obvious conclusion is that Melaxen is the most preferred over-the-counter drug that is suitable for the treatment of insomnia. It helps especially well with insomnia among city residents, with sleep disorders caused by changes in sleep and wakefulness, time zone changes, and flexible work schedules.
It begins with an examination (polysomnography) to identify the causes of insomnia and to exclude sleep apnea. Based on the diagnostic results, therapy is prescribed.
For episodic (up to 1 week) and short-term (1-4 weeks) insomnia, over-the-counter sedatives will help you. If you decide to take medications yourself, you can opt for herbal preparations, but objectively you will achieve the best effect from taking Melaxen.
The undoubted advantages of this tool are that
:
1. It is officially an over-the-counter drug
, that is, you can buy it everywhere without a prescription.
2. Unlike other sleeping pills and herbal sleep aids, it does not cause drowsiness.
, decreased activity, incoordination, and attention problems during the day.
3. Melaxen exhibits the mildest possible effect on humans. A therapeutic dose of the drug helps you fall asleep, after which the drug is quickly eliminated from the body.
The patient's sleep is then maintained using his own sleep hormone melatonin. Physiological sleep is the most restorative and refreshing, and Melaxen can provide it. This is a big advantage of the drug over some other sleeping pills that disrupt sleep architecture, cause nightmares, and leave a feeling of “lack of sleep” in the morning.
4. The drug has a minimum of side effects and contraindications, does not interfere with breathing during sleep
. This allows it to be used by a wide range of patients, even those for whom other sleeping pills are contraindicated (for example, people with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome).
5. When using Melaxen, the likelihood of overdose is very low
, even with prolonged use of its high doses. this distinguishes the drug from others, in which the therapeutic and toxic doses are quite close to each other.
Valosedan
- used to inhibit the central nervous system during neuroses or stress.
The effect of the drug is enhanced by small doses of sodium barbital. In addition, the medicine contains tinctures of hawthorn, rhubarb, hops, valerian extract, and ethyl alcohol. Valocormid
is the drug of choice for cardiac neuroses with bradycardia (pulse rate less than 60).
A medicine based on tinctures of lily of the valley, belladonna, valerian, menthol and sodium bromide. Valoserdin
is a mixture of phenobarbital, ethyl ester of bromoisovaleric acid, oregano and peppermint oils.
In addition to the calming effect, the medicine reduces the heart rate, relieves intestinal spasms. It is used for cardioneurosis with heart pain and increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, intestinal colic, and sleep disorders. Available without a prescription. Sedariston
- (St. John's wort, valerian, lemon balm) is an effective drug for vegetative manifestations of neuroses.
Nervoflux
- prescribed for chronic stress and insomnia. This is a herbal tea mixture consisting of orange blossom, lavender, mint leaves, licorice root, valerian rhizome extract and hop cones.
Non-benzodiazepine drugs
Over the past 10 years, scientists have been trying to invent drugs that would be quite effective (like benzodiazepines), but would be devoid of side effects. It is believed that the result has been achieved. The product of many years of work was 2 drugs: zolpidem and zopiclone.
Sleeping pill Zolpidem
These drugs bind to the above-mentioned receptor complex. But not directly with benzodiazepine receptors. The effect is associated with the influence on the channels that regulate the flow of chlorine ions in neurons. These ions have a depressing effect on higher nervous activity.
Zopiclone and zolpidem have a pronounced sedative and hypnotic effect. These insomnia medications have little effect on sleep phases. That is, the most physiological sleep architecture is maintained unless the dosage is exceeded. Withdrawal syndrome is not typical for these drugs.
However, these drugs are not ideal and cause side effects, especially if they are not taken strictly according to the instructions:
- Allergy.
- Reduced blood pressure.
- Hallucinations.
- Digestive disorders.
If you take these drugs for a long time, dependence develops (both physical and mental) and unpleasant sensations may occur (bitter taste, decreased perception of smell). The use of zolpidem and zopiclone should be limited to 1 month.
Calm, just calm
About twenty years ago, bearded stories about how bromine tincture is poured into army tea in order to eliminate the nervousness and excessive sexuality of the defenders of the Motherland were no less popular than the children's cartoon about Carlson, whose favorite saying was a phrase calling for people to remain calm, since the matter is generally everyday. Since the author of the story about the baby and Carlson did not write anything about bromine, we will take on the task of filling the gap.
Bromides (bromine-based sedatives) help enhance inhibitory processes in the brain and balance excitation and inhibition. These are inexpensive drugs, often in the form of mixtures or drops.
If these drugs are taken uncontrollably, for a long time and in high dosages, you can get poisoning known as bromism. Its main manifestations are a dry cough, lacrimation, snot and a skin rash resembling acne vulgaris.
Adonis Brom20 tab. 80 rub. Ingredients: Potassium bromide and adonis spring herb glycoside. It has sedative and cardiotonic effects, prescribed for neurotic syndrome with increased heart rate and vegetative-vascular dystonia. Sold in pharmacies without a prescription. Contraindications: angina pectoris, bradycardia, ulcer of the esophagus, stomach, pregnancy, lactation, children under 18 years of age, with fructose intolerance. Side effects: nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions, weakness, skin rash, conjunctivitis, memory loss, cough, rhinitis, apathy. Application: 3 times a day, 1 tablet. |
Bromcamphor30 tab. 100 rub. Like other bromides, this drug has a calming effect, improves cardiac activity, and enhances inhibition processes in the brain. Used: for increased excitability and sleep disorders, for lability of blood pressure, cardialgia, tachycardia, asthenia. Contraindicated: children under 7 years of age, with renal, liver failure, hypersensitivity. Side effects: drowsiness, dyspepsia, allergic reactions, lethargy. Dosage: adults and children over 14 years old 2-3 times a day, 1-2 tablets, from 10-14 years old 2/3 times a day, 1 tablet, 7-10 years old - 2 times a day, 1 table. The course of treatment is 10-14 days. |
Sleeping pills. Indications
There are often times in a person’s life when he simply needs a strong sleeping pill. Pharmacy chains will not sell such a drug without a prescription; only weak medicines can be purchased there. For physiological fatigue, nervous overload, family troubles and problems at work, weak drugs are also suitable. The use of strong sleeping pills is often due to exceptional circumstances or medical indications.
Sleeping pills after surgery
When a patient needs sleep as a medicine, and weak drugs are useless, a strong sleeping pill is prescribed. The pharmacy probably won’t dispense such a drug without a prescription, but there is an attending physician who can prescribe such a prescription.
In oncological practice
Cancer patients in the last stages of the disease urgently need a narcotic drug, along with which a strong sleeping pill is prescribed; neither one nor the other, of course, can be purchased without a prescription in pharmacies.
Mild sleeping pills
A large group of weak sedatives is sold in pharmacies without prescriptions. However, by analyzing cases of suicide, it can be proven that by purchasing large doses of weak substances, the patient ultimately receives the strongest medicine. Sleeping pills without a prescription, purchased in large quantities in the pharmacy chain, should be wary of the homemade preparation of potent and narcotic drugs from it.
The drug "Ambien "
It belongs to the class of sleeping pills with moderate potency, has a number of contraindications and side effects, and is sold in pharmacies as prescribed by a doctor. It is used for a short period of time (up to ten days) and is prescribed as a means of preventing frequent awakenings at night.
The drug "Lunesta "
Promotes rapid onset of sleep and extends it by 7-8 hours. If the patient took this drug, but was unable to prolong sleep for the specified time, he will feel lethargic, overwhelmed and tired.
The drug "Rozerem "
Causes a hypnotic effect in case of sleep disturbances. Does not cause depression on the part of the central nervous system, is not addictive, and can be prescribed for long-term use.
The drug "Sonata "
A not too strong sleeping pill, you can freely buy it at a pharmacy without a prescription. It is quickly eliminated from the body. The drug, taken even at 2 am to speed up falling asleep, will not cause drowsiness, fatigue or depression in the morning.
The drug "Zollidem" (or "Sanval")
Causes a hypnotic effect 15-30 minutes after taking the tablet. Prescribed to patients suffering from increased emotional excitability, reacting to time zone changes, and prone to stress overload. The drug does not have a cumulative effect, its half-life in the body is about 2.5 hours, a high therapeutic concentration is maintained in the patient for 8 hours. May cause side effects such as headache, obsessions, drowsiness. May become addictive if used for a long time.
The drug "Zaleplon"
After the hypnotic effect ends, it does not cause a “hangover” effect; even its long-term use does not lead to memory impairment or mental disorders. There is a side effect - headache, which may be stronger or weaker, depending on the dose taken. The use of the drug "Zaleplon" requires adherence to a certain diet; you should not eat fatty foods, since fat interferes with the absorption of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract.
Strong sleeping pills at home
At home, without having sleep-inducing medications on hand, you can use traditional medicine methods. So, warm baths help, especially with the addition of various extracts. Honey has long been considered a good sleep aid; it can be used either in its pure form or with milk, lemon juice, or raspberries. With the addition of honey, you can prepare herbal decoctions and infusions. Many herbs, from which herbal pillows are made, as well as decoctions and infusions, have a good sleeping effect. Aromatherapy from herbs causes a hypnotic effect. Fresh wormwood herb, crushed in your hands, motherwort leaves, chamomile flowers and valerian leaves can improve your sleep.
Disturbances in sleep and wakefulness are common among modern people. Some people cannot sleep due to psychological problems, while others deliberately disrupt their sleep schedule in order to work more or take care of some personal matters. As a result, due to constant lack of sleep, performance is noticeably reduced, and chronic diseases develop; disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and deterioration in the appearance of patients are visible to the naked eye. If at this stage you can’t always fall asleep on your own, it’s time to start treatment and pick up a strong sleeping pill.
Indications for the use of tablets for insomnia
Anti-insomnia tablets are indicated for patients with sleep disorders of various forms and origins. Lack of sleep provokes the development of weakness, loss of strength, and the development of depression due to lack of sleep. During therapy, medications with a sedative effect, from the group of neuroleptics and tranquilizers, and medications with antipsychotropic effects are used. The use of medications is indicated for:
- sleep disorders;
- autonomic dysfunction;
- vegetative and emotional lability;
- psychopathic, neurotic states;
- increased anxiety, irritability, tension.
Such medications should be used with extreme caution due to the risk of developing drug dependence. In most cases, short-term use of herbal medicines is sufficient for patients. If the sleep disorder transforms into a chronic form that is difficult to treat, the doctor will select the appropriate medicine.
Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics indicators depend on the pharmacological group to which the drug belongs.
Group of drugs | Pharmacodynamic properties | Pharmacokinetic properties |
Herbal preparations | — Herbal medicines demonstrate sedative properties. — They differ in their multicomponent composition and may contain extracts of the following plants: lemon balm, valerian, St. John's wort, hawthorn, elderberry. - The sedative effect can be supplemented with additional components (for example, guaifenesin). | They have the ability to be quickly and almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. |
Drugs from the group of tranquilizers | — Have a sedative, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, anxiolytic effect. - Stimulate benzodiazepine receptors. | — Rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. — Metabolic processes occur in the liver. — Achieving maximum concentration – 60-120 minutes after using the medicine. - The half-life takes up to 17-18 hours. |
Medicines from the group of chemicals | - Have a sedative effect. - Able to reduce the duration of falling asleep and the number of night awakenings. — Helps increase the duration and quality of sleep. | — Reaching maximum concentration after 60-90 minutes. - Rapid absorption from the stomach. — High bioavailability. |
Contraindications for use
When using medications, you should take into account possible contraindications, the most common of which are:
- age restrictions.
- dysfunction of the digestive, urinary, and liver organs;
- traumatic brain injuries;
- history of chronic alcoholism;
- acute and severe renal and respiratory failure;
- development of sleep apnea;
- period of pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- individual intolerance to active or auxiliary components;
- a history of angle-closure glaucoma;
- myasthenia gravis;
- organic brain lesions;
- depressive states, especially in patients of older age groups.
Before starting to use any drug, you must carefully study the instructions for possible contraindications and adverse reactions, and consult your doctor.
Side effects of insomnia pills
Most often, drugs for insomnia can provoke the development of the following undesirable reactions:
- allergic manifestations;
- dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract;
- attention disorders;
- drowsiness during the daytime;
- dizziness;
- muscle weakness;
- increased fatigue;
- slowdowns in motor and mental reactions;
- dysmenorrhea;
- decreased libido.
In most cases, adverse reactions are transient and go away on their own after stopping the use of medications.
Types of sleep medications
The group of sleeping pills includes drugs with a strong sedative effect that help the patient fall into sleep and improve its quality and duration. Moreover, a number of drugs can also be used as pain relievers. All existing drugs are divided into several groups: barbiturates (based on barbituric acid); products whose main active ingredient is benzodiazepine; GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) preparations and dietary supplements based on natural ingredients. You should choose a strong sleeping pill with caution, as the desired pills can do more harm than good. Many pharmacies offer an assortment of sleep medications sold without a prescription. How to make the right choice?
Prescribing practices
Numerous shortcomings of the oldest, “classical” drugs of the group of barbituric acid derivatives have long been known. The structure of sleep induced by barbiturates is significantly different from natural sleep. The main thing is that the ratio of the phases of fast and slow sleep changes. Because of this, patients experience interrupted sleep, an abundance of dreams, and sometimes nightmares. After sleep, drowsiness, fatigue, nystagmus and other side effects are observed. With repeated use of barbiturates, the development of psychological and even physical dependence is possible, similar to drug withdrawal.
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) say the following:
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, and drug therapy should only be started in cases of excessive anxiety that makes it impossible to function normally. Long-term use... is ineffective and should be avoided... Short-term use (less than two weeks) minimizes the risk of developing drug dependence... A basic discussion of the causes of insomnia and anxiety, as well as informing the patient about the disadvantages of drug therapy, can often help patients without resorting to prescription drugs .
— [1]
The prescription of sleeping pills should only be carried out by a specialist, after he has determined the cause of insomnia, identified the presence of contraindications to certain medications and made a conclusion about the general condition of the patient [2].
Medicines containing barbituric acid and benzodiazepines
Barbiturates are one of the most effective drugs, but they are also quite dangerous. Products in this category do more than just help you fall asleep. They noticeably change the structure of sleep, in particular reducing the duration of REM sleep. Many patients describe their condition after taking barbiturates with negative emotions. Sleep comes, but after it you don’t feel cheerful, despite the number of hours spent in bed. Drugs in this category are addictive, side effects are drowsiness, decreased reaction. The following barbiturates can be purchased without a prescription today: the drugs Phenobarbital, Chloral Hydrate and Estimal. It is recommended to use them only in the most extreme cases. Almost any strong benzodiazepine-based sleeping pill can also be purchased without a doctor’s recommendation. The most popular drugs in our country are Nizatrepam, Triazolam, Flurazepam hydrochloride, and Flunitrazepam. It is believed that a benzodiazepine does not affect sleep patterns and is, in fact, just a strong sedative. Many drugs in this category are addictive, and when the course of treatment is stopped, various manifestations of withdrawal syndrome are possible.
GABA preparations and medicines based on natural extracts
Products based on gamma-aminobutyric acid are considered one of the safest. They control the slow-wave sleep phase and have virtually no effect on a person’s state during wakefulness. A good example is the drug Phenibut. This medicine is not addictive, and there are no symptoms such as drowsiness or difficulty concentrating. But still, rather than choosing a strong sleeping pill, it is worth trying safe sedatives based on medicinal herbs and other natural ingredients. These are tinctures of valerian officinalis and motherwort, medications “Deprim” and “Glycine”. Such drugs are completely safe; in small dosages they can be prescribed even to children.
Definition of concepts
A sleeping pill is a medicinal substance in a specific release form that has a beneficial effect on the process of falling asleep and allows you to maintain optimal sleep duration. Various types and groups of drugs are used as these medicines. The oldest group of substances used for this purpose are barbiturates (also called “traditional sleeping pills”).
There is a concept of the “ideal drug”. This is a symbol for a hypothetical drug that has specified properties and does not have any negative effect. Ideal sleeping pills have the following properties:
- Helps you fall asleep as quickly as possible.
- Ensures the maintenance and preservation of sleep.
- Do not cause a feeling of fatigue and the desire to sleep during the daytime.
- They have an extremely low incidence of adverse reactions.
It should be noted that today there is not a single sleeping pill that could fully satisfy all the requirements. However, development continues, and every year more and more effective sleeping pills enter the market.
Buy a sleeping pill without a prescription or try to solve the problem naturally?
Even the highest quality and most expensive sleeping pills only relieve symptoms, but do not solve the problem. In case of sleep disorders, it is necessary to determine the cause and begin to eliminate it. In the afternoon, you should avoid emotional overload and stop using substances that stimulate mental activity. Many people also find it helpful to follow a sequence of actions before going to bed. Every day at the same time, take a shower, prepare your bed and yourself for a night's rest. If you can't sleep, you can try taking a natural sleeping pill or drinking a soothing tea. Another recipe for stopping rare attacks of insomnia is to start doing some monotonous work until you want to sleep. It is much more pleasant and useful to spend time doing something than tossing and turning in bed trying to fall asleep.
The foreign and domestic pharmaceutical market is saturated with many effective drugs for the treatment of insomnia. Their choice is made by a doctor based on the characteristics of the sleep disorder, the patient’s age, the presence of concomitant diseases, and the risk of side effects.
Sleeping pills are represented by drugs of different chemical groups
When treating sleep disorders, specialists are guided by the principle of prescribing medications from weaker to stronger. Moreover, the most powerful sleeping pill for each patient may be different, since the effectiveness of the medicine depends on the type of sleep disorder, the chronicity of the process, as well as the individual characteristics of the person.
General principles of sleep disorder therapy
To eliminate insomnia, two therapeutic directions are used. The first is the elimination of factors that provoked insomnia. For this, the following measures are recommended: normalization of the psycho-emotional state, sleep hygiene, treatment of somatic diseases, solving problems of a psychological nature.
The second direction is pharmacological treatment itself. For this purpose, various groups of drugs, hypnotics or sedatives are used; their selection is carried out by a somnologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, or, in their absence, a therapist.
Medicines to treat insomnia
Medicines used for sleep disorders
To treat insomnia, medications belonging to various groups of pharmaceuticals are used: sedatives of plant origin, Melatonin, antidepressants, tranquilizers, ethanolamines that improve falling asleep and support long-term sleep. The effectiveness of the drug often depends on how the sleeping pill works, on its mechanism of action.
The most powerful drug in modern medicine is considered to be a pharmacological agent, the mechanism of action of which is the ability to influence the postsynaptic GABA receptor complex. This is a potent sleeping pill that quickly induces sleep and maintains sleep well. The following main groups of such drugs are distinguished:
- Barbiturates.
- Benzodiazepines.
- Cyclopyrrolones.
- Imidazopyridines.
Most sleep-improving medications can be purchased at pharmacies only with a doctor's prescription; they are included in the list of potent drugs. This is quite justified, since they are used only for strict indications, and some may become addictive.
Main characteristics of sleeping pills
Sleeping pills help you fall asleep quickly
In order to determine whether a strong sleeping pill is or not, it must meet a number of requirements
:
- quickly induce sleep;
- it is good to maintain the duration of night sleep, without frequent awakenings;
- there are no post-somnia disorders after taking it (no lethargy, drowsiness or weakness in the morning);
- does not have significant side effects;
- not addictive.
Most sleep medications meet these requirements to one degree or another.
When prescribing sleeping pills, their half-life is also taken into account; depending on this, the following are distinguished:
- having a half-life of up to 5 hours;
- staying in the body for 5-10 hours;
- having a long half-life of up to 15 hours.
Most experts prefer short-lived drugs that are quickly eliminated from the body.
Barbiturates
Currently, they are very rarely used to treat insomnia. This is due to the high frequency of side effects and the rapid onset of addiction. Also, barbiturates often cause post-somnia disorders in the form of drowsiness, deterioration of attention, and with long-term use provoke depression.
They are included in the list of potent drugs and require a doctor's prescription to purchase them. The pharmacy chain offers the following medications from this group: Barbamil, Etaminal-sodium.
Benzodiazepines
They are considered the most powerful sleeping pills, since they not only promote sleep, but also have an anti-anxiety and sedative effect, promote muscle relaxation, and eliminate cramps. The great advantage of this group of drugs is their low toxicity. The second advantage is the presence in the list of drugs of benzodiazepines, both with a short half-life (Triazolam) and with a longer action (Nitrazepam, Oxazepam). This provides a wide range of therapeutic applications.
Nitrazepam is a strong hypnotic, it is used in the treatment of presomnic and intrasomnic disorders. Take one tablet (2.5 mg) before bedtime. It can be purchased at the pharmacy only with a doctor's prescription.
The disadvantage of this group of drugs is the frequent occurrence of drowsiness, decreased attention and speed of reaction after waking up, which creates inconvenience for some groups of professions.
With long-term use, more than 10-14 days, addiction develops to benzodiazepines, and withdrawal syndrome is possible. Such side effects are especially severe in older people who initially have intellectual and mental decline.
Cyclopyrrolones and imidazopyridines
They are considered the most modern drugs for the treatment of insomnia (3rd generation). With a doctor's prescription you can buy in pharmacies: Zopiclone, Zaleplon, Zolpidem.
Zopiclone
Hypnotics from the group of cyclopyrrolone derivatives
The advantage of this medicine is its mechanism of action on central benzodiazepine receptors. Thanks to this, Zopiclone is a fairly strong sleeping pill and, at the same time, does not cause drowsiness or decreased attention during the subsequent working day.
Prescribe the medicine 7.5 mg before bedtime, falling asleep occurs after 25-30 minutes. Zopiclone, for the most part, has no effect on sleep structure, but prolongation of the delta phase is sometimes noted. An important advantage of the drug is that it does not increase apnea in people with OSA.
It is found in pharmacies under the trade name Imovan; it can be purchased with a doctor’s prescription. The duration of taking the medication should be no more than a month. Zopiclone is suitable for the treatment of episodic insomnia.
Zolpidem
The main advantage of the drug is that it does not interact with benzodiazepine receptors; it affects another part of the GABA complex. This is due to the fact that there is no addiction to this drug. At the same time, it is a relatively strong sleeping pill that helps you fall asleep quickly, improves the quality of sleep, and does not cause lethargy or drowsiness in the morning. Zolpidem does not interfere with daily activity, it is safe and non-toxic. The drug is quickly inactivated in the body, it can be taken even at night without fear of post-somnia disorders.
Zolpidem belongs to the group of imidazopyridines
Zolpidem is prescribed 1 tablet (5 mg, 10 mg) half an hour before bedtime. For older patients, the recommended dose is 5 mg; other people can take it at 10 mg. As a rule, the medicine does not have side effects; unpleasant symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract or nervous system or allergic reactions rarely appear.
Trade names of Zolpidem: Ivadal, Hypnogen, Sanval. The pharmacist may require a doctor's prescription before purchasing it.
Interaction of sleeping pills with other medications
Barbiturates induce liver enzymes, which leads to accelerated metabolism of certain drugs used simultaneously, in particular, anticoagulants, tricyclic antidepressants, sulfonamides, hypoglycemic drugs, glucocorticoids and oral contraceptives. As a result, the usual therapeutic dose of these drugs often becomes insufficient. If the dose of the drug is increased, then the withdrawal of barbiturates may be accompanied by clinical signs of an overdose of the drugs accompanying them.
All sleeping pills enhance the effect of psychotropic drugs with a sedative effect, analgesics, and alcohol.
The simultaneous use of sleeping pills and alcohol is not recommended due to the risk of developing sometimes difficult to predict, individual reactions. Flunitrazepam is incompatible with monoamine oxidase inhibitors. The article was prepared and edited by: surgeon I.B. Pigovich.
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