Sleep spindle and delta changes during chronic use of a short-acting and a long-acting benzodiazepine hypnotic.
Twenty-one medically screened insomniacs were studied over 59 nights in a double-blind, parallel groups design study. The 7 patients receiving a short-acting (triazolam) and the 7 receiving a long-acting (flurazepam) benzodiazepine hypnotic showed a similar pattern and magnitude of sleep EEG changes, especially during the latter part of the 37-night treatment period. Both groups significantly increased sleep spindle rate and decreased delta count per minute. The patterns of withdrawal were also similar. Plasma levels of N-desalkylflurazepam were not significantly related to the magnitude of EEG changes.
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D014229:Triazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014229:Triazolam; D005479:Flurazepam