Articles related to DEPRESSANTS

Insomnia is often underrecognized and undertreated in primary care settings. A panel of experts convened by Haymarket Medical Education emphasizes the importance of considering comorbid medical and psychiatric illnesses in patients with insomnia and recommends proactive screening and personalized treatment strategies. As a psychiatrist, neurologist, or other sleep disorder professional, you may often be on the front lines of managing insomnia, a condition that is increasingly prevalent yet remains underrecognized in primary care settings. A recent report by a panel of experts provides crucial insights and recommendations to enhance our approach to this pervasive sleep disorder:

“Eszopiclone and lemborexant work for insomnia despite adverse events, while prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines, daridorexant, suvorexant, and trazodone can be effective but are associated with poor tolerability, according to this systematic review and meta-analysis.”

Seven studies totaling 802 patients investigated the primary outcome of change in 100-point vertigo visual analog scale scores at around 2 hours following treatment with an antihistamine or benzodiazepine in this systematic review and meta-analysis of 1,586 participants within 17 trials. Antihistamines improved patients’ conditions more than benzodiazepines did (difference, 16.1), but they weren’t better than other active comparators such ondansetron, droperidol, metoclopramide, and piracetam.

With fast symptom relief and reinforcing effects, benzodiazepines were once the gold standard for treating insomnia and anxiety. As opioids dominate headlines along with the public health crisis of drug overdose deaths, is it time to reconsider benzodiazepines as a course of treatment?