Lack of cross-reactivity of Ambien (zolpidem) with drugs in standard urine drug screens.
OBJECTIVE
To determine in healthy volunteers (men and women; 18 to 40 years old) the potential cross-reactivity of Ambien (zolpidem) and/or its metabolites with drugs that are screened by the Syva EMIT II and the Abbott ADx urine drug screens assays.


METHODS
Open-label, fixed-treatment sequence of 1 night each of treatment with zolpidem (10 mg) and temazepam (15 mg).


METHODS
Clinical Pharmacology Unit within a teaching hospital.


METHODS
Over a 24-hour period, presence or absence of positive results on the Syva EMIT II or the Abbott ADx urine drug assay system, each performed at two different laboratory assay sites.


RESULTS
Following ingestion of zolpidem, no subject had any positive response in either laboratory to the Syva EMIT II or the Abbott ADx urine drug screen assays at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours postdose. During the same time period, all subjects had measurable zolpidem plasma concentrations at 1.5 and 8 hours postdose, with mean concentrations of 115.2 ng/mL and 30.1 ng/mL, respectively (in agreement with its half-life of 2.5 hours). The positive response rate at 10 hours after ingestion of Restoril (temazepam) among the four laboratory/assay combinations ranged from 36.8% to 73.7%, a range that is within the reported response rates for these tests.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that zolpidem will not cross-react in standard urine drug screens with benzodiazepines, opiates, barbiturates, cocaine, cannabinoids, or amphetamines.
Piergies
A A
AA
Evanston Hospital, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, IL 60201, USA.
Sainati
S
S
Roth-Schechter
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004347:Drug Interactions; D017248:Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D011725:Pyridines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D013693:Temazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D000077334:Zolpidem
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D000077334:Zolpidem; D013693:Temazepam