Zolpidem abuse, dependence and withdrawal syndrome: sex as susceptibility factor for adverse effects.

摘要

We read with interest the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology's Spring 2007 special issue, addressing the issue of adverse drug reactions (ADR), suggesting how reactions can be prevented or minimized, generating hypotheses for further study, and proposing ways forward for future research. The issue tackled the susceptibility factors for ADR associated with age, polypharmacy, ethnic factors and the problems associated with prenatal exposure to drugs. However, our impression was that it left unaddressed the important issue of a patient's sex as a susceptibility factor for ADRs.