Zolpidem observational studies

Respiratory depression Although preliminary studies did not reveal respiratory depressant effects at hypnotic doses in healthy individuals, observe caution if zolpidem is prescribed to patients with compromised respiratory function, since sedative/hypnotics have the capacity to depress respiratory drive. 

In a double-blind, crossover, randomized, placebo-controlled study in 22 healthy volunteers, single doses of zolpidem 10 mg and triazolam 0.25 mg had no effect on the enhanced non-word recall observed after sleep or on improvement in the performance of a digit symbol substitution test in subjects who slept (30). The authors concluded that the hypnotics did not interfere with nocturnal sleep-induced improvement in memory. 

A review of six studies in over 4000 patients has suggested that non-nightly administration of zolpidem is effective and does not appear to be associated with withdrawal symptoms or dose escalation (41). On the other hand, a case report has suggested that stopping and restarting zolpidem can trigger visual hallucinations the same phenomenon was observed three times in a healthy 23-year-old Chinese woman (42). 

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