Efficacy and side effects of flurazepam, fosazepam, and nitrazepam as sleeping aids in psychogeriatric patients

Abstract

Efficacy and side-effects of flurazepam 15 mg, fosazepam 60 mg and nitrazepam 5 mg were studied in 17 psychogeriatric patients. The drugs were equipotent in maintaining sleep but nitrazepam had more side-effects than the other hypnotics, and it induced a rebound insomnia after withdrawal. All hypnotics lost some of their efficacy towards the end of 7 days'' administration. Patients with evident cerebrovascular disease were vulnerable to the side-effects of the benzodiazepine hypnotics. The side-effects did not correlate with the age of a patient. No correlations were found between the serum levels of fosazepam or its main metabolite and the side-effects.