Sleeping Pills Can Increase Risk Of Traffic Accidents

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 08 Feb 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Benzodiazepine-like hypnotics (z-hypnotics) are commonly used in Norway with a general understanding that they do not affect daily performance. However, researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) have now found an increased risk of being involved in a road traffic accident after a patient has been dispensed this type of prescribed hypnotic. The risk can be compared with that for other hypnotics such as nitrazepam.

The study was carried out based on data from three different registers and covered various hypnotics; zopiclone (Imovane®), zolpidem (Stilnoct®), nitrazepam (Apodorm®, Mogadon®) and flunitrazepam (Flunipam®, Rohypnol®). The occurrence of accidents in the period after a hypnotic drug was dispensed (exposed period) was compared with the occurrence of accidents in the non-exposed period.

A clearly increased risk for traffic accidents was observed for the first week after prescriptions of the fore-mentioned hypnotics were dispensed. The risks after dispensing zopiclone, zolpidem and nitrazepam were comparable and increased over twice as much compared with non-exposed periods. For flunitrazepam the incidence risk was raised by 4-fold. These new results are alarming because zopiclone and zolpidem are considered to not affect driving ability the following day when taken correctly in therapeutic doses before bedtime. The study therefore indicates that driving should be reduced in periods where people are exposed to these drugs.

Link to published article (abstract): Gustavsen I, Bramness JG, Skurtveit S, Engeland A, Neutel I, Morland J. Road traffic accident risk related to prescriptions of the hypnotics zopiclone, zolpidem, flunitrazepam and nitrazepam. Sleep Med 2008; Click here.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health