Zolpidem, better known by the brand name Ambien, is a medication primarily used to treat insomnia and other sleep-related problems. In this video, I discuss the safety and effectiveness of zolpidem as well as how it works in the brain to promote sleep.
TRANSCRIPT:
Zolpidem, better known by the brand name Ambien, is a medication primarily used to treat insomnia and other sleep-related problems. Studies have found zolpidem to be effective in reducing sleep latency, or the amount of time it takes someone to fall asleep, as well as in increasing total sleep time. Zolpidem belongs to a class of medications known as non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, sometimes called Z-drugs because many of the first of these drugs to be sold had names that started with the letter Z.
Similar to the benzodiazepines, zolpidem exerts its effects by increasing activity at receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA. GABA is primarily an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and increasing GABA activity can promote sleep as GABA can decrease activity in parts of the brain that promote wakefulness. Unlike benzodiazepines, however, zolpidem is thought to selectively bind to specific GABA receptor subtypes that are especially involved in sleep-inducing effects.
While zolpidem has been found to be effective and safe in the short-term management of sleep problems, the drug can also cause tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms when someone stops taking it, even when taken as prescribed at typical doses. Additionally, while most of the side effects of zolpidem, such as next day drowsiness, are common side effects of sleep medications, some zolpidem users have reported sleepwalking, sleep eating (which involves getting up and eating without waking), and even more dangerous activities like sleep driving, while under the influence of the drug. And due to various concerns, such as potentially impaired metabolism of the drug, an increased risk of falls, and an increased risk of cognitive impairment, zolpidem may pose more problems for older populations. Thus, despite its effectiveness, zolpidem should be prescribed cautiously and used only for as long as is absolutely necessary.
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