Zopiclon sold as Imovane, Zimovane is a novel hypnotic agent used in the treatment of insomnia.
While it acts on the BZ1 receptor and is a short-acting hypnotic agent,
it is not a benzodiazepine, but a cyclopyrrolone derivative, belonging
to a novel chemical class which is structurally unrelated to existing hypnotics. Hypnotic drugs are a class of drugs that induce sleep (which differentiates them from the sedative
category), used in the treatment of severe insomnia and in surgical
anesthesia. Often the treatment of insomnia will not begin with drugs
at all, however, as many (not all) hypnotic drugs might be habit forming.
A physician will usually recommend alternative sleeping patterns and
exercise before prescribing medication for sleep. This is due to a
large number of factors known to disturb the human sleep pattern.
Zopiclone, as traditionally sold worldwide, is a racemic mixture of two, only one of which is active. The eszopiclone
zopiclone difference is in the dosage - the strongest eszopiclone
dosage contains 3mg of the therapeutic stereoisomer, whereas, the
highest zopiclone dosage 7.5mg .
Zopiclone,
zaleplon and zolpidem and were thought in initial studies to be less
addictive and less habit forming than benzodiazepines. This appraisal
has shifted somewhat in the last few years, as cases of addiction and
habituation have been presented. It is recommended that zopiclone is taken on a "when required" basis, and daily or continuous use of the drug is not usually advised.
|
