Comparative evaluation of hypnotic efficacy of flunitrazepam in psychiatric in-patients.
Flunitrazepam in 2-mg and 4-mg doses was compared with flurazepam 30 mg and nitrazepam 10 mg for hypnotic efficacy in a double-blind, multiple cross-over trial involving 41 psychiatric in-patients. In the vast majority of comparisons involving a number of sleep parameters differences did not reach significance level. Flunitrazepam 4 mg tended to produce the shortest latency time and the longest duration of sleep but also the most side-effects. Nitrazepam 10 mg appeared to have a slight advantage over the other drugs in terms of patient preference. For severe sleep disturbance flunitrazepam 2 mg tended to be the most satisfactory drug in terms of efficacy and paucity of side-effects.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009567:Nitrazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D005445:Flunitrazepam; D009567:Nitrazepam; D005479:Flurazepam