From now on, several benzodiazepines indicated in insomnia are available in packaging of 5 or 7 tablets, which corresponds to one week’s treatment, and should avoid the risk of misuse, the National Agency for Medicines Safety (ANSM) said. In parallel, she calls doctors to prescribe these drugs on short durations, and pharmacists to provide these small packaging when the processing time allows.
Zopiclone (Imovane and its generics), Zolpidem (Stilnox and its generics) and Nitrazepam (Mogadon) drugs are concerned. “We have asked the laboratories that market these drugs to distribute new boxes containing fewer tablets, between 5 and 7”, she said in a press release. “Reducing the number of tablets in the boxes is reducing the risk of prolonged use and therefore that of dependence”she justifies.
Risks of dependence
“These benzodiazepines should only be prescribed for a short time, from a few days to three weeks, due to the risk of dependence, the risk of effects that can alter driving, but also from memory and fall disorders,” recalls the ANSM. In the indication of occasional or transient severe disorders of sleep, they must be taken in the lowest effective dose, and as long as possible.
However, these drugs are often used beyond the recommended processing time. “Patients are then exposed for too long to the undesirable effects of these drugs (amnesia, falls, etc.), but they also face an increased risk of physical and mental dependence, which increases with the dose and the duration of treatment”deplores the ANSM. “Anxiety and insomnia treatments are short -term treatments, yet 40 % of orders are non -compliant because it is exempt from too long periods”, had already alerted in April the Pr Catherine Paugam-Burtz, director general of the ANSM.
