Thursday January 10, 2013, the food and drug administration is reminding consumers that some drugs to treat insomnia could make them less able the next morning to perform activities for which they must be fully alert, including driving a car.
- Zolpidem can impair driving and other activities the next morning.
Zolpidem has been on the market for nearly 20 years. It the most widely used active ingredient in prescription sleep medications, says Ronald Farkas, M.D., Ph.D., a medical team leader in FDA’s neurology products division. About 9 million patients received products containing zolpidem from retail pharmacies in 2011.
According to the FDA, the recommended dose should be lowered for sleep drugs. FDA is particularly concerned about extended-release forms of zolpidem. The administration has informed manufacturers that changes to the dosage recommendations for the use of zolpidem products should be made. Approximately 700 reports concerning zolpiderm use and impaired driving ability and/or traffic accidents have been reported.
The drugs are sold as generic drugs and under the brand name:
- Ambien.
- Edluar.
- Zolpimist.
How to get a good night sleep?
Use of complementary medicine.
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