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Temazepam
Temazepam, sold under the brand name Restoril among others, is a medication of the benzodiazepine class which is generally used to treat severe or debilitating insomnia. It is taken by mouth. Temazepam is rapidly absorbed, and significant hypnotic and anxiolytic effects begin in less than 30 minutes and can last for up to eight hours. Prescriptions for hypnotics such as temazepam have seen a dramatic decrease since 2010, while anxiolytics such as alprazolam, clonazepam, and lorazepam have increased or remained stable. Temazepam and similar hypnotics, such as triazolam (Halcion) are generally reserved for severe and debilitating insomnia. They have largely been replaced by z-drugs (zopiclone, zolpidem) and atypical antidepressants (trazodone, mirtazapine) as first line treatment for insomnia.
Common side effects include drowsiness, motor and cognitive impairment, lethargy, confusion, euphoria, and dizziness. Serious side effects may include hallucinations, hypotension, respiratory depression, abuse, anaphylaxis, and suicide. Use is generally not recommended together with alcohol or opioids. If the dose is rapidly decreased withdrawal may occur. Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not recommended. Temazepam is a short-acting benzodiazepine and hypnotic. It works by affecting GABA within the brain.
Temazepam was patented in 1962 and came into medical use in 1969. It is available as a generic medication. In 2021, it was the 208th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2 million prescriptions.
In sleep laboratory studies, temazepam significantly decreased the number of nightly awakenings, but has the drawback of distorting the normal sleep pattern. It is officially indicated for severe insomnia and other severe or disabling sleep disorders. The prescribing guidelines in the UK advise the prescribing of hypnotics to two to four weeks and longer to be avoided, due to concerns of tolerance and dependence.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2017 clinical practice guidelines recommended the use of temazepam in the treatment of sleep-onset and sleep-maintenance insomnia. It rated the recommendation as weak, the quality of evidence as moderate, and concluded that the potential benefits outweighed the potential harms. The guidelines found that temazepam at a dose of 15 mg reduces sleep latency by 37 minutes (95% CI 21 to 53 minutes), increases total sleep time by 99 minutes (95% CI 63 to 135 minutes), and provides a small improvement to sleep quality. The improvements in sleep latency and total sleep time were numerically much greater than any of the other included sleep medications, including eszopiclone, zopiclone, zolpidem, triazolam, estazolam, quazepam, flurazepam, trazodone, diphenhydramine, gabapentin, among others.
The United States Air Force uses temazepam as one of the hypnotics approved as a "no-go pill" to help aviators and special-duty personnel sleep in support of mission readiness. "Ground tests"[further explanation needed] are necessary prior to required authorization being issued to use the medication in an operational situation, and a 12-hour restriction is imposed on subsequent flight operation. The other hypnotics used as "no-go pills" are zaleplon and zolpidem, which have shorter mandatory recovery periods.
Use of temazepam should be avoided, when possible, in individuals with these conditions:
Temazepam may cause harm to the fetus. The safety and effectiveness of temazepam has not been established in children. Benzodiazepines also require special caution if used in the elderly, alcohol- or drug-dependent individuals, and individuals with comorbid psychiatric disorders.
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Temazepam
Temazepam, sold under the brand name Restoril among others, is a medication of the benzodiazepine class which is generally used to treat severe or debilitating insomnia. It is taken by mouth. Temazepam is rapidly absorbed, and significant hypnotic and anxiolytic effects begin in less than 30 minutes and can last for up to eight hours. Prescriptions for hypnotics such as temazepam have seen a dramatic decrease since 2010, while anxiolytics such as alprazolam, clonazepam, and lorazepam have increased or remained stable. Temazepam and similar hypnotics, such as triazolam (Halcion) are generally reserved for severe and debilitating insomnia. They have largely been replaced by z-drugs (zopiclone, zolpidem) and atypical antidepressants (trazodone, mirtazapine) as first line treatment for insomnia.
Common side effects include drowsiness, motor and cognitive impairment, lethargy, confusion, euphoria, and dizziness. Serious side effects may include hallucinations, hypotension, respiratory depression, abuse, anaphylaxis, and suicide. Use is generally not recommended together with alcohol or opioids. If the dose is rapidly decreased withdrawal may occur. Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not recommended. Temazepam is a short-acting benzodiazepine and hypnotic. It works by affecting GABA within the brain.
Temazepam was patented in 1962 and came into medical use in 1969. It is available as a generic medication. In 2021, it was the 208th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2 million prescriptions.
In sleep laboratory studies, temazepam significantly decreased the number of nightly awakenings, but has the drawback of distorting the normal sleep pattern. It is officially indicated for severe insomnia and other severe or disabling sleep disorders. The prescribing guidelines in the UK advise the prescribing of hypnotics to two to four weeks and longer to be avoided, due to concerns of tolerance and dependence.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2017 clinical practice guidelines recommended the use of temazepam in the treatment of sleep-onset and sleep-maintenance insomnia. It rated the recommendation as weak, the quality of evidence as moderate, and concluded that the potential benefits outweighed the potential harms. The guidelines found that temazepam at a dose of 15 mg reduces sleep latency by 37 minutes (95% CI 21 to 53 minutes), increases total sleep time by 99 minutes (95% CI 63 to 135 minutes), and provides a small improvement to sleep quality. The improvements in sleep latency and total sleep time were numerically much greater than any of the other included sleep medications, including eszopiclone, zopiclone, zolpidem, triazolam, estazolam, quazepam, flurazepam, trazodone, diphenhydramine, gabapentin, among others.
The United States Air Force uses temazepam as one of the hypnotics approved as a "no-go pill" to help aviators and special-duty personnel sleep in support of mission readiness. "Ground tests"[further explanation needed] are necessary prior to required authorization being issued to use the medication in an operational situation, and a 12-hour restriction is imposed on subsequent flight operation. The other hypnotics used as "no-go pills" are zaleplon and zolpidem, which have shorter mandatory recovery periods.
Use of temazepam should be avoided, when possible, in individuals with these conditions:
Temazepam may cause harm to the fetus. The safety and effectiveness of temazepam has not been established in children. Benzodiazepines also require special caution if used in the elderly, alcohol- or drug-dependent individuals, and individuals with comorbid psychiatric disorders.