[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.
Herberg
K W
KW
TUV Rheinland e.V., Köln.
Zimmermann
T
T
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.