ZOLPIDEM-A HYPNOTIC WITH A DIFFERENCE?

摘要

Zolpidem (Stilnoct-Lorex Synthelabo) is a new hypnotic drug licensed for the short-term treatment of insomnia. The manufacturer claims that zolpidem "offers patients a good night's sleep, without impairment to their day" and that it "is as easy to stop as it is to start". Similar claims have been made for other hypnotics in the past. Zolpidem, an imidazopyridine, is structurally unrelated to other hypnotics. It binds preferentially to one of the benzo-diazepine receptor subtypes (omega-1; benzodiazepine-1). Benzodiazepines bind to all three subtypes and zopiclone to two.