Dr. Saltiel received his Pharm.D. from the University of California, San Francisco, in 1980, following undergraduate work at UCLA. At UCSF, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award and the Bowl of Hygeia Award. He completed a residency in clinical pharmacy practice at the University of Illinois, in Chicago.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Eszopiclone is a non-benzodiazepine, oral, sedative drug ("sleeping pill") that is used for treating insomnia. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 50 million Americans suffer from insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep, awakening frequently during the night, waking up too early, an inability to fall back to sleep, or awakening in the morning not feeling refreshed. Most drugs that have been used to treat insomnia are benzodiazepines, for example,
flurazepam (Dalmane), lorazepam (Ativan), triazolam (Halcion), and temazepam (Restoril). Zolpidem (Ambien) was the first non-benzodiazepine approved for insomnia in over 20 years. Eszopiclone is unique in that it is the only drug used for insomnia that has been shown to be safe and effective for up to six months. Eszopiclone was approved by the FDA in December, 2004.
GENERIC: No
PRESCRIPTION: Yes
PREPARATIONS: Tablets of 1, 2, and 3 mg
STORAGE: Tablets should be stored at room temperature, 15-30 °C (59-86 °F).
PRESCRIBED FOR: Eszopiclone is used for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulty falling asleep and/or difficulty maintaining sleep during the night and early morning.
DOSING: The usual dose to improve or maintain sleep in most adults is 2 or 3 mg. Persons over the age of 65 years usually are treated with 1 or 2 mg. Eszopiclone should be taken immediately before going to bed since the onset of sedation may occur as rapidly as 10 minutes. It should be taken only by individuals who intend to sleep for at least 8 hours since its effects may last up to six hours.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Alcohol (which causes sedation) and drugs that have sedating effects should not be used with eszopiclone since their sedating effects, when added to those of eszopiclone, may cause excessive sedation.
PREGNANCY: Eszopiclone should not be used during pregnancy.
NURSING MOTHERS: It is not known whether eszopiclone is excreted in human breast milk. Because many medicines are excreted in breast milk and because the effect of eszopiclone on infants has not been studied, women should not breast feed while taking eszopiclone.
SIDE EFFECTS: Patients taking eszopiclone or any other sedative drug may develop dependence on the drug for sleep and experience withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued. The most common side effects of eszopiclone are dizziness and loss of coordination.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
Insomnia is difficulty in falling or staying asleep, the absence of restful sleep, or poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is a symptom and not a disease. The most common causes of insomnia are medications, psychological conditions, environmental changes and stressful events. Treatments may include non-drug treatments, over-the-counter medicines, and/or prescription medications.
There are over 20 definitions of "sleep" in several dictionaries. The first,
a verb, seems most appropriate:
to take the rest afforded by a suspension of
voluntary bodily functions and the natural suspension, complete or partial, of
consciousness; cease being awake.
Physiologically, sleep is a complex process of
restoration and renewal for the body. Scientists still do not have a definitive
explanation for why humans have a need for sleep. We do know that sleep is not a
passive process or "switching off" of body functions; sleep is believed to be
important in many physiologic processes including the processing of experiences
and the consolidation of memories. It is also clear that sleep is essential, not
only for humans but for almost all animals.
The importance of sleep is
underscored by the symptoms experienced by those suffering from sleep problems.
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