Zaleplon side effects

Zaleplon also binds to the GABAa receptor. It has a rapid onset, a half-life of about 1 hour, and no active metabolites. It does not reduce nighttime awakenings or increase the total sleep time. It may be best used for middle-of-the-night awakenings. It does not appear to cause significant rebound insomnia or next-day psychomotor impairment. The most common side effects are dizziness, headache, and somnolence. The recommended dose is 10 mg (5 mg in the elderly). 

In general, side effects of zolpidem and zaleplon are similar to those of short-acting benzodiazepines. These agents should not be considered free of abuse potential. 

Buspirone may be an effective anxiolytic in the elderly patient and less likely than BZDs to produce excessive sedation ( 352, 353, 354 and 355). Dizziness, however, may be a problem. Zolpidem or zaleplon, particularly in lower doses (i.e., 2.5 to 5.0 mg at bedtime) may be viable alternatives ( 356). The elimination half-life of these two agents is approximately 3 hours in the elderly. Although it has sleep-enhancing properties similar to BZD hypnotics, it is less likely to alter sleep architecture. Whereas antidepressants and b -blockers may be useful alternatives in younger patients, no data document their effectiveness for anxiety in elderly patients ( 307). Although antipsychotics may be helpful in reducing severe agitation, their side effect profile makes them unsuitable for use in subjective anxiety states ( 300, 307). 

Zaleplon possesses several of the clinical characteristics of traditional benzodiazepines, including the potential for additive CNS depression when administered with alcohol or other CNS depressants, a low potential for abuse, and relative safety in overdose. Zaleplon exhibited sedative effects similar to those of the benzodiazepines, with a lower likelihood of such undesirable side effects as memory loss, interaction with alcohol, and abuse potential [22],... 

Zaleplon (Sonata) is a non-benzodiazepine medication that binds to the benzodiazepine receptor. It has a very short half-life, making it useful for sleep onset insomnia. Effects on sleep architecture appear minimal, although it may increase SWS. It has been shown to be safe in recent studies [39], The most common side effect reported in adults is headaches. Use of zaleplon has not been studied in children, except in one study where it was used for sedation purposes. Therefore, its potential role in the clinical treatment of pediatric insomnia is not known. 

A range of medications is available to treat insomnia, ranging from herbal preparations such as valerian to the recently introduced z compounds, zopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon. Many drugs used for other primary purposes have sedative and sleep-inducing properties as side effects these include many tricyclic antidepressants and antihistamines. 

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