FDA/CDC

Insomnia meds get boxed warning from FDA


 

The Food and Drug Administration will now require that certain medications prescribed for insomnia carry a boxed warning because of associated complex sleep behaviors.

FDA icon
These behaviors, including sleep walking, sleep driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake, are more common with eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata), and zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist) than they are with other prescription medicines used for sleep. Although these complex sleep behaviors are rare, they are potentially very dangerous. Boxed warnings are the FDA’s most prominent warning, but the agency will also require a contraindication – its strongest warning – to avoid use in patients who’ve previously experienced these behaviors with any of these medications.

Complex sleep behaviors have been seen with these medications in patients with and without a history of them, at low doses, and even after one dose of the medication. They’ve also been observed with and without concomitant use of alcohol or other CNS depressants.

Health care professionals should advise patients about these risks, even though they are rare. Patients should contact health care professionals if they either experience a complex sleep behavior while not fully awake on one of these medicines or have performed activities they don’t remember while taking the medicine.

More information about these risks and the safety warnings can be found in the FDA’s safety announcement. Other information is also available in a press announcement from the agency.

Recommended Reading

SNOT-22 may help identify patients with undiagnosed OSA
Clinician Reviews
Mild OSA spontaneously resolves in about one-third of young children
Clinician Reviews
AHA report highlights CVD burden, declines in smoking, sleep importance
Clinician Reviews
Asthma, obesity, and the risk for severe sleep apnea in children
Clinician Reviews
Nonsurgical OSA treatment ineffective in children with Down syndrome
Clinician Reviews
Socioeconomic status, race found to impact CPAP compliance
Clinician Reviews
High prevalence of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder
Clinician Reviews
Failure to launch can happen to college students
Clinician Reviews
FDA approves solriamfetol for daytime sleepiness treatment
Clinician Reviews
Sleep, chronic pain, and OUD have a complex relationship
Clinician Reviews