Comparative Effectiveness of Nine Hypnotic Drugs: Sleep Laboratory Studies

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Abstract
The effectiveness of 9 hypnotic drugs [chloral hydrate, ethchlorvynol, flurazepam, glutethimide, methaqualone, secobarbital, GP41299 (N,N-dimethyldibenzo[b,d]thiepine-10-methylamine hydrochloride) and triazolam (U33030)] was compared [in insomniacs] using a standard protocol in separate sleep laboratory drug evaluation studies. All of the drugs were relatively effective in improving sleep with initial and short-term use. With intermediate-term use (2 wk), most of the drugs showed a marked decrease in their effectiveness. Following withdrawal, sleep was similar to baseline with most of the drugs, continued to be improved with flurazepam (Dalmane), 30 mg, and worsened beyond baseline levels with triazolam (U33030), 0.5 mg. The determination of a drug''s effectiveness with continued use was most important clinically in enabling the physician to rationally and effectively use hypnotic drugs in the adjunctive treatment of insomnia.

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