[Mental performance after administration of chloral hydrate. Evaluation of hangover with clinical dose within the scope of a placebo controlled double-blind study].
OBJECTIVE
Many hypnotic drugs are associated with hangover effects that impair performance thus compromising safety, e.g. in road traffic.


METHODS
To investigate this phenomenon, a daily dose of 1,000 mg (2 capsules of 500 mg) was given to twenty healthy men and women (mean age 44.1 +/- 8.6 years) over a period of six days. The test subjects were examined prior to treatment, 1 hour after the first dose of 1,000 mg and in morning and afternoon of the day following the 1st, 3rd and 6th evening doses. A second group of equal number and equal size received placebo and served as controls. Medication was given in a randomized, double-blind manner.


METHODS
Seven items of performance were examined (including reaction ability, concentration and vigilance) together with state of well-being and adverse reactions.


RESULTS
As expected of a hypnotic drug, the acute effect of chloral hydrate included a number of disturbances of performance (in particular processing of information) and well-being. However, when chloral hydrate was taken in the evening as intended, the test subjects were able to concentrate better the next day, and were calmer and more balanced.
TUV Rheinland e.V., Köln.
K W
KW
Herberg
T
T
Zimmermann
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002697:Chloral Hydrate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*
D002697:Chloral Hydrate
Leistungsfähigkeit nach Einnahme von Chloralhydrat. Prüfung des Hang-over bei bestimmungsgemässem Gebrauch im Rahmen einer Plazebo-kontrollierten Doppelblindstudie.