Sleep Aids

By Jobin S. Kalathil

Sleep Orders of Interest:

Insomnia: is characterized by the inability to fall asleep and/or remain asleep for a reasonable amount of time.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS): is characterized by an irresistible urge to move legs while sleeping.

Bed wetting: is associated with the involuntary passing of urine while asleep; after the age at which bladder control would normally be anticipated.

General Principles of Treatment:

Treatments for sleep disorders can be grouped into three general categories:

1) behavioral/ psychotherapeutic treatments

2) medications

3) other somatic treatments (like surgery)

Insomnia

The three types of insomnia are:

1) Transient insomnia

2) Acute Insomnia

3) Chronic Insomnia

Medications:The most commonly used drugs are:F Benzodiazepines

http://www.etfrc.com/benzos1.htm

Commonly prescribed benzodiazepines include: temazepam, diazepam, lorazepam, flurazepam, nitrazepam and midazolam

Non-benzodiazepine prescription drugs

Ambien

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are needed to see this picture.

Lunesta

Selectively binds to the melatonin receptors instead of GABA receptors.

Rozerem

Restless Leg Syndrome

Requip

http://www.neurosci.pharm.utoledo.edu/MBC3320/images/Ropinirole.gif

Bed wetting

Two main types of drugs prescribed:

Tricyclic antidepressant prescription drugs (e.g. Amitriptyline, Imipramine or Nortriptyline)

Bed wetting Desmopressin

Works Cited

"Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Pharmacotherapy for Insomnia." Archives of Internal Medicine 164. 16 Mar. 2007 <http://archinte.amaassn.org/cgi/content/abstract/164/17/1888>.

Griffiths, Rr, M.w Johnson, and P.e Suess. "Ramelteon: a Novel Hypnotic Lacking Abuse Liability and Sedative Adverse Effects."

"Mechanism of Action." Requip. 13 Mar. 2007 <http://www.requip.com/pd/hcp/mechanism_of_action.html>

Archives of General Psychiatry 63 (2006): 1149-1157. EBSCO. SMU. 12 Mar. 2007. National Institute of Health. Ambien. 12 Mar. 2007 <http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?

id=635&type=display>. "New Drug Offers Relief From Chronic Insomnia." Cortlandt Forum 19

(2006): 22. EBSCO. SMU.

"New Evidence That the Pharmacological Effects of Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligands Can Be Associated with Activities At Different BZ (?) Receptor Subtypes." Psychopharmachology. PubMed.Gov. 12 Mar. 2007.

Office of Communications and Public Liaison. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Restless Legs Syndrome Fact Sheet. 14 Feb. 2007. 12 Mar. 2007 <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm#84783237>.

"PRAMIPEXOLE/ROPINIROLE." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 11 Mar. 2007 <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/research/parkinsonsweb/drug_summaries/pramipexole.htm>.

"Requip." GlaxoSmithKline. 11 Mar. 2007 <http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_requip.pdf>.

"REQUIP." http://www.requip.com/. GlaxoSmithKline. 15 Mar. 2007 <http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_requip.pdf>.

"Restless Legs Syndrome." Wikepedia. 14 Mar. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restless_legs_syndrome>.

"Rozerem." Wikipedia. 10 Mar. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rozerem>. "Sleep Disorders." Wikipedia. 9 Mar. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_disorder>.

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