Zopiclone effects on breathing at sleep in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

摘要

Purpose More than half of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experiences sleep-related problems and about one fourth uses hypnotics regularly. We explored what the effect zopiclone, a commonly used hypnotic, had on nocturnal gas exchange and the apnea/hypopnea frequency in stable COPD. Methods Randomized crossover study of 31 (ten males) in-patients at a pulmonary rehabilitation hospital, median age 64 years, of which 20 had a forced expiratory volume first second <50 % of predicted. Subjects investigated in randomized order of either baseline sleep or intervention with 5 mg zopiclone by polysomnography including transcutaneous measurement of carbon dioxide pressure increased (P_(tc)CO_2).