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1. UPDATE ON THE EVALUATION & TREATMENT OF INSOMNIA Eben L. McClenahan, M.D., M.S., Medical Director
Region III – Office of Mental Health
Louisiana State Department of Health & Hospitals
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Psychiatry & Neurology
Tulane University School of Medicine – New Orleans
3. Sleep Stages (continued) NREM:
Stage 1 – transition to sleep with Theta waves
Stage 2 – light sleep
Stages 3 & 4 – Delta slow-wave sleep
4. Sleep Stages (continued) Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep:
Also known as ‘paradoxical sleep’ because while a person’s body is immobile with their muscles being paretic, areflexic, & flaccid, yet there is increased pulse, blood pressure, intracranial pressure, & cerebral blood flow - and also, in men, erections – and there is heightened incidence of myocardial infarctions & ischemic cerebrovascular accidents – dreams occur, via 2 components tonic & phasic
5. Normal Course of Sleep,and some terminology Usually fall asleep in 10-20 minutes (interval called Sleep Latency)
Normal individuals enter NREM & pass through the 4 stages, and this form of sleep predominates during early night
REM periods occur 4-5 times nightly, 1st after ~90 minutes (interval called REM Latency), & become progressively longer, and when REM is greatest the body’s temperature reaches its nadir, and the final REM period can merge with awakening – eye movements generated by vestibular nuclei in the Pons of the brainstem
6. Sleep Across the Lifespan
1st NREM-REM cycles detected in 20 week old fetus – neonates sleep 16-20 hours/day with ~ 50% in REM – as we mature and age, we have: less total time sleeping & less dreaming - elders have: shorter nighttime sleep (& reduced slow-wave NREM sleep) fragmented by awakenings, also phase advance such that they go to bed and also awaken earlier [not necessarily a sign of MDE], & less Melatonin
7. A Bit of Neurochemistry Serotonin: facilitates REM and shorter sleep latency and reduced nocturnal awakenings
Acetylcholine: associated with REM sleep
Hypocretin-1: excitatory modulation, with connections to adrenergic, dopaminergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic systems
Dopamine: arousal, alerting, wakefulness
Melatonin: regulates sleep/wake cycle via circadian clock in hypothalamus
8. A Bit of Neuro-physiology/anatomy Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) in the Hypothalamus – circadian clock & the sleep/wake switch
Thalamus – cortical activation, EEG synchronization
Brainstem – ascending cortical activation (Reticular Activating System), REM source
Locus Ceruleus – 80% of Norepinephrine
9. Circadian Rhythms The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) is the biological clock, located above the optic chiasm
The SCN receives information about light via the Retinohypothalamic Tract, then has efferent sympathetic pathway to the Pineal Gland (aka ‘The Third Eye’), resulting in synthesis & secretion of Melatonin, which then provides negative feedback to the SCN during the day’s dark period (called scotoperiod)
- Melatonin in Humans, New England Journal of Medicine, 1997
10. Circadian (continued) Light acutely stops Melatonin production, and this can occur between dusk & dawn as with the graveyard shift – the converse does not hold as darkness imposed from dawn to dusk cannot increase Melatonin while the SCN acts to turn off Melatonin production for about 12 hours during this daytime period
For many animals, the changing duration of the scotoperiod across the year has corresponding changes in Melatonin, yielding seasonal cues to regulate migration, hibernation, & estrous
11. Why do we spend 1/3 of our existence sleeping?
Sleep that knits
the raveled
sleeve of care
- Shakespeare
12. Why asleep? (continued)
Consolidating memories, slow-wave learning, & elaborating brain plasticity
“Per chance to dream?” (Shakespeare)
Lest consequences of sleep deprivation!
13. Memory Consolidation While we sleep, there is an active process such that memories are encoded, stored, and even enhanced
A memory is considered Consolidated when in the absence of rehearsal it has become sturdy enough to resist disruption from any new learning, perceptions, thoughts, actions
14. Consolidating Memory (continued) Procedural learning – re: the category of memory which includes perceptual & motor skills and consolidating occurs during the deepest Slow-Wave Sleep (Stages 3 & 4 of NREM)
A memory integrates into the mind’s fabric, and ceases depending solely on the Hippocampus, rather it distributes across cortex, & links webs of associations, knowledge, & related memories
15. Consolidating Memory (continued) PET & fMRI studies show that the brain has a propensity for Plasticity, whereby encoding new information entails structural brain changes at the level of individual synapses, between circuits, and over different regions
Learning is offline – the brain continues to learn even when no longer consciously practicing
16. Consolidating Memory (continued) This learning/consolidation is all-or-nothing
36 hours awake robs people of much of their ability to perform these functions
Caffeine is no substitute
QUESTION: Can sleep deprivation cause some functional lesion in the Hippocampus, and if so is it reversible?
17. Consolidating Memory (continued) Emotional processing, eg. ‘sleeping on a problem’ ? role of the Amygdala: which is principally involved in the encoding & retrieval of emotional memories, and also the Amygdala displays higher activity during REM than wakefulness while maintaining reciprocal relationship with the Hippocampus
18. To Dream? Dreams form via interplay of tonic & phasic REM events – phasic REM triggers visual images & during intervening tonic REM periods associations to these images occur, & this image-then-association sequence facilitates visual components being woven into a dream story within the REM episode – dreams often herald important meanings at interpretation
19. To Dream? (continued) One Famous Dream:
Friedrich August Kekule von Stradonitz – famous for his elucidation of the structure of Benzene (in a 6 Carbon atom ring configuration) after he dreamt of a snake swallowing its tail [symbol known as Ouroborus] – of the first 5 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, his students won 3 (in 1901, 1902, & 1905)
20. To Dream? (continued) Christian Biblical references:
In the New Testament it is because of a dream that Joseph accepts the pregnancy of Mary as being of divine origin – the instructions to flee into Egypt and then later to return are also sent by dreams
21. To Dream? (continued) Role of the dream in psychotherapy:
Serves as an instrument as qualitatively reliable as any brain scan, psychometric testing, or measured neurotransmitter level ? re: affective tone, diagnostic assessment, self-representation, conflict, defenses, transference, problem-solving, & decision-making*
*J. Psychotherapy Practice & Research, Glucksman, 2001
22. Sleep Deprivation
Our 24/7 lifestyle can be deleterious
Trying to push through the night and stifle a yawn, yet that yawn is the first sign that you’re not so awake as you might like to think – after 18 hours in the absence of sleep, your reaction time slows from Ľ of a second to ˝ of a second, and then becomes still longer
23. Deprived of Sleep (continued) One starts experiencing several bouts of ‘micro-sleep’ – and so, while driving you zone out for say 20 seconds and drift out of your lane, or if studying late then you find yourself rereading the same passage – thus your reaction time becomes roughly equivalent to a person with a blood alcohol level of 0.08, sufficient to get you arrested in 49 states
24. Deprived of Sleep (continued) Sleep is vital - extraordinary adaptations
Zebras on the savanna require vigilance of awake herd members in order to sleep safely in the presence of predators
Dolphins & other cetaceans are able to have one brain hemisphere sleep at a time, to allow ongoing motion and continued respiration
25. Deprived of Sleep (continued) Charles Augustus Lindbergh, in 1927, in his Spirit of St. Louis, during his 1st solo Atlantic crossing from Long Island to Paris, experienced visual hallucinations which remitted with recovery sleep
There is a 10% increase in MVA’s following switching to daylight savings when the day is shortened by 1 hour
26. Deprived of Sleep (continued) Mood disturbance with irritability, transient paranoia, disorientation, performance deficits, severe fatigue or hypomania – all sequelae of prolonged sleep deprivation
Chronic sleep deprivation may reach a point at which the very ability to catch up on sleep is damaged, such that what’s lost is lost
Bodes ill for physicians, soldiers, et al trying to acquire new information while sleep-deprived
27. Insomnia – what’s that about? It’s a symptom, not a stand alone diagnosis, & an estimated 30-50% of general population afflicted, ~10% chronic
Acute: difficulty sleeping a few nights over a couple of weeks, often from a stressor
Chronic: difficulty sleeping at least 3 nights per week for 1 month or more & interfering with daytime functioning
28. An Insomnia Typology
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty staying asleep
Waking too early
Non-restorative poor quality sleep
29. Insomnia Mechanisms
Disorders of circadian rhythms
Disordered homeostatic drive for sleep
Disordered sleep mechanisms
Dyssomnias & Parasomnias
Disordered arousal mechanisms
Medical & psychiatric disorders
Substance/medication-induced disorders
30. Evidence of Hyperarousal in Primary Insomnia Increased global cerebral glucose metabolism on PET
During sleep, EEG shows decreased Theta & Delta wave activity
Increased 24-hour metabolic rate
Higher levels of secretion of both Adrenocorticotropin & Cortisol
31. Sleep Evaluation Measures Polysomnogram (PSG): gold standard measures of cerebral activity (EEG); ocular movements; chin & limb & other muscle movements (EMG); vital signs; and oxygen saturation
Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS): assesses fatigue (anergy) during typical daily activities
Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT): PSG monitoring re: rapidity of sleep onset (with naps apart by 2 hour intervals) & presence of REM ? propensity to readily fall asleep = sleepiness
32. Sleep Evaluation (continued) Take a history re: falling & staying asleep, early awakening, quality of sleep, EDS
Also interview patient’s bed partner
Review lifestyle, habits, medications, illnesses, sleep hygiene, stressors
Patient to keep a sleep diary – record bedtime, number of awakenings, sleep latency, naps, substances used, irritability, estimate of amount of sleep obtained
33. Sleep Disorder Classification Dyssomnias are disorders of initiating & maintaining sleep, with Excessive Daytme Somnolence (EDS) – 3 types: intrinsic, extrinsic, and circadian
Parasomnias - characterized by abnormal behavior or physiological events at specific stages or sleep-wake transitions, involving inappropriate activation of autonomic & motor systems – usually with both normal restful sleep & REM Latency, and without EDS
34. Dyssomnias - Intrinsic
Primary Insomnia – Psychophysiologic and Idiopathic
Narcolepsy
Sleep Apnea
Periodic Limb Movements
Restless Legs Syndrome
35. Dyssomnias - Extrinsic
Inadequate sleep hygiene
Environmental sleep disorder
Secondary to toxins & substance dependence
36. Dyssomnias - Circadian
Time zone changes (jet lag)
Shift work
Changes in sleep phase – advanced & delayed
37. Parasomnias Sleep Terrors
Somnambulism
Nightmares
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Jactatio Capitis Nocturna
Bruxism
Enuresis
38. Medical & Psychiatric Causes of Sleep Disorders Major Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder
PTSD
Alcoholism
Dementia (& Sundowning)
Parkinson’s Disease
Epilepsy
Pain Syndromes
Cluster Headaches
Insomnia in Menopause
Fatal Familial Insomnia
Exploding Head Syndrome
39. Primary Insomnia – Idiopathic/Psychophysiologic Conditioned behaviors – behavior not conducive to sleep becomes associated with bedroom – eg. a married couple when arguing retreats to bedroom as sanctuary from children – or once in bed watching clock incessantly to see how long one has been unable to fall asleep ?ergo, reserve bedroom for sleep & sex exclusively
40. Primary Insomnia (continued) Misperceptions and erroneous beliefs – patients unable to assess their sleep efficacy and whether they have been awake or asleep
Unrealistic expectations “I have to sleep 8 hours at night or the next day will be ruined”
Problems with sleep hygiene (eg. naps)
41. *Hey, What’s Wrong with Naps?!(brief hiatus) Naps act to diminish the homeostatic drive to sleep, thus interfere with night rest
However, napping is acceptable as one single ~30 minute nap per midday for elders, who have sleep fragmentation, as well as diminished total & NREM sleep
*humorous satirical article: The Art of the Nap, American Scholar, 1995
42. Primary Insomnia (continued)Treatment Strategies *(Nonpharmacologic)
Cognitive Restructuring Therapy
Relaxation Skills Training
Stimulus Control Rx
Sleep Restriction Rx
Sleep Hygiene
* pharmacotherapy discussed later
43. Stimulus Control Don’t engage in obsessive clock watching
Observe a regular wake time, regardless of duration of sleep
If unable to sleep after 15-20 minutes, then go to another room to read and engage in quiet activities, and only return to bed when sleepy
44. Sleep Restriction
Reduce time in bed to estimated total sleep time (minimum, 5 hours)
Increase time in bed by a 15 minute increment per week when estimated sleep efficiency [ratio of time asleep to time spent in bed] is at least 90%
45. 10 Commandments of Good Sleep Thou shalt not stay in bed too long
Thou shalt go to bed only when sleepy
Thou shalt avoid daytime naps
Thou shalt avoid stimulants after lunch
Thou shalt not take evening toddies
Thou shalt observe a regular sleep-wake schedule
46. 10 Commandments (continued) 7) Thou shalt exercise regularly, but not too
close to bedtime
8) Thou shalt not go to bed hungry
9) Thou shalt not watch TV, use laptop, knit,
read, etc. in one’s bed
10) Thou shalt reduce noise in a bedroom
kept at a comfortable temperature
47. NarcolepsyClassic Symptom Tetrad
EDS with sleep attacks (naps not restorative)
Sleep Paralysis – at sleep/wake interface
Hypnagogic &/or Hypnopompic Hallucinations
Cataplexy – strong emotion (often positive, eg. laughter) elicits loss of all striated muscle tone (except diaphragm) – similar physiological mechanisms in REM sleep atonia*
*Lancet, 2007
48. Narcolepsy (continued)Additional Diagnostic Features Very short REM Latency
MSLT – patient is placed in dark quiet room, & asked to fall asleep ? test is considered abnormal if patient falls asleep within 8 minutes
Hypocretin-1 concentration in CSF – very high positive predictive value if lower than 110 ng/L
49. Narcolepsy - Treatment Xyrem [Sodium Oxybate (salt of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate)] – ensures good nighttime rest, and treats both EDS and cataplexy – two doses given, one at bedtime & the other 4 hours later
Modafinil [Provigil] – alerting & performance-enhancing – two doses, one in AM and the other at Noon
50. Sleep Apnea Central – also called Odine’s Curse – poor CNS ventilatory effort and Cheyne-Stokes irregular breathing - bulbar poliomyelitis & lateral medullary infarctions
Obstructive – also called Pickwickian Syndrome – obesity is a major risk factor – loud snoring, and then breathing ceases for as much as 30 seconds or more, with resuscitative resumption of breathing – Rx with CPAP (nasal continuous positive airway pressure) and daytime activating antidepressant (eg. Prozac)
51. Sleep Apnea (continued) Both varieties can produce severe hypoxia (especially during REM muscle atonia), with arterial blood oxygen desaturation as low as 40% - risk of cardiac arrythmias, & both pulmonary & systemic hypertension
Symptoms include: headache, intellectual impairment, depression, irresistible urges to nap (Dickens’ Joe in The Pickwick Papers)
52. Periodic Limb Movement Disorder(aka Nocturnal Myoclonus) Stereotyped, brief, regular [in episodes of 10 minutes to a few hours] dorsiflexions of the feet, occurring primarily during NREM sleep
Can be associated with apnea, RLS, uremia, antidepressants, & medication withdrawal
Rx with BZD’s, and dopamine agonists can be of some benefit
53. Restless Legs Syndrome Random, irregular movements of feet & legs during sleep, and to lesser extent during wakefulness – associated with aching & burning sensations – movements as if pacing, shuffling, bicycling
About 1/3 of patients have no underlying condition – can occur with diabetic neuropathy, during pregnancy, & in iron deficiency
Rx with dopamine agonists and tricyclic antidepressants, also opiates
54. Circadian Rhythm Disorders The internal sleep-wake cycle does not match desired sleeping & waking times (eg. blind individuals are not entrained by external stimuli [zeitgebers = ‘time givers’])
Advanced Phase – go to bed early & awaken early – common in elders – if delay bedtime, still awaken early (role for Melatonin & light therapy)
Delayed Phase – individual never falls asleep until late [prolonged sleep latency] into night (a ‘night owl’) then sleeps through the AM ? chronotherapy Rx gradually shifts the person’s sleep/wake cycle to a more adaptive schedule
55. Jet Lag Rapid traversing of 2 or more time zones leads to insomnia, EDS, and also changes in digestion & autonomic behavior
Going East to West is easier as travelers can more easily postpone (delay) their night’s sleep, than fall asleep earlier (advance) – a helpful strategy is to shift the sleep-wake cycle to their destination’s day-night schedule before the trip (helps re: adaptation of athletes & sports teams)
56. Jet Lag (continued)
Also beneficial is exposure to daylight upon one’s arrival at the destination & taking Melatonin
Regarding the most taxing West-to-East flights, one can take a hypnotic agent (eg. Benzodiazepine) to advance the sleep schedule to conform to the new time zone
57. Shift Work Disorder Working the ‘graveyard shift’ or continually changing [associated with higher rates of divorce & substance abuse] schedule between days & nights
One consequence is less Melatonin (the hormone of darkness) synthesis and secretion – Melatonin is an important antioxidant, scavenging oxygen free radicals, thus protecting against cancer
Best to use public transportation [or to carpool with an alert driver] for safer commuting
58. Shift Work (continued) Difficult to adjust, especially if employing old familiar schedule on weekends
Strictly applying all sleep hygiene principles can be quite helpful
Provigil may assist re: on-the-job alertness
Chronotherapy helps - delay (with coffee, activities, light) sleep onset 30-60 minutes each night and ultimately by < 24 hours & via effort then maintain the new schedule
59. Major Depression PSG demonstrates: reductions in total & slow-wave (NREM stages 3 & 4), and increased awakenings – also REM has shorter latency, followed by abnormally long intense REM period, then subsequent REM periods in relatively quick succession, leaving the latter half of the night virtually devoid of REM
For some patients, partial deliberate sleep deprivation (albeit impractical) may reduce symptoms (Sx’s) as effectively as antidepressant medication
60. Major Depression (continued) The body’s temperature nadir and Cortisol excretion occur earlier, thus there is forward displacement of the circadian pattern, constituting a phase advance, and this can result in early AM awakening with resultant inability to resume sleep – depressed patients skip into the middle of normal sleep and of the neuroendocrine cycle – one of the last Sx’s to improve
61. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Hypothesis: do circadian rhythms drift later with the later dawn of winter, thereby acting as a cue to susceptible individuals to become depressed & exhibit phase delay at this time of year
Treatment often includes antidepressant
Light exposure therapy, a standard of care, is optimal at AM awakening
62. SAD (continued) All of which gives rise to questions:
Does light have a specific antidepressant
effect other than phase shifting?
2) What might we apply of that which we learn from SAD to better understand the other affective disorders?
63. Alcohol (EtOH) Dependence Associated with insomnia & EDS
First ˝ of night: short sleep latency, less REM sleep, & increased slow-wave sleep, tantamount to collapsing into stupor
In second ˝ of night: increased REM and awakenings, as though emergent delirium
Net effect: decreases both total sleep time & slow-wave sleep
EtOH withdrawal produces REM rebound
64. Dementia Increased awakening - decreased REM & slow-wave sleep - nocturnal wandering & delirium - deficits from neurotransmitter loss (including Melatonin & Serotonin)
Sundowning - at dusk: loss of orientation with confusion, hallucinations, fears, delusions, & even combativeness
Incidence increases among demented patients during winter when there is less natural light
Interventions: environmental (night-light, nap-restriction); interpersonal reassurances; short-term antipsychotic medicine; treatment of underlying infection, electrolyte disturbance, & toxic medication side-effects/interactions
65. Parkinson’s Disease While tremor, rigidity, & dyskinesias disappear, at night, yet thought disorders and hallucinations (especially visual) arise
Iatrogenic problems in as much as secondary to dopaminergic medicines [however, Mirapex (Pramipexole) facilitates somnolence] and so these must be carefully managed
Comorbid intrinsic depression also interferes
Eschew neuroleptics which exacerbate disease
66. Epilepsy Nearly ˝ of patients with primary generalized epilepsy have predominantly nocturnal Sz’s during the 1st portion of the night’s sleep mostly in NREM stages 1 & 2
Sleep deprivation can precipitate Sz’s
Antiepileptic medicines at therapeutic levels reduce arousals and act to increase slow-wave sleep
67. Cluster Headaches About 50-75% occur at night, with episodic awakening to paroxysm of icepick-like periorbital stabbing pain & lacrimation in the eye on the affected side (also with occasional partial Horner’s pupillary miosis & eyelid ptosis), often in a period of REM sleep
Circadian influence (re: periodic recurrence) inferred from low levels of Melatonin, Cortisol, Prolactin, & Testosterone during attacks
Lithium is Rx of choice when tolerated - also Prednisone acutely as needed
68. Fatal Familial Insomnia Inherited progressively severe insomnia -refractory to treatment - beginning around age 50
Begins with amnesia, poor concentration – later with elevated catcholamines, tachycardia, hyperhidrosis, myoclonus, ataxia – ultimately fatal (in 6 - 36 months)
Closely related to Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s dz – there is evidence of thalamic atrophy
69. Exploding Head Syndrome Once called “snapping of the brain”
Abrupt flashing lights and noises within the brain, not related to any particular stage of sleep, and beginning around age 50
Lasting only seconds, and is truly quite terrifying to patients notwithstanding the absence of any pain
70. Insomnia in Context of Menopause Not only the result of the considerable disruption from nocturnal hot flashes
Not trivial as insomnia in menopausal women is associated with greater incidence of MI’s & CHF
Affects ~40 % of women – reduced sleep, early awakenings, EDS, irritability, & mood lability
Likely related to decreased Serotonin secondary to decreased Estrogen
Rx: CBT, HRT, Clonidine, SSRI’s, BZD’s
71. Pharmacotherapy of Insomnia CBT just as good in many cases, and even better re: reducing sleep latency* - can assist chronic users of BZD’s to either discontinue or reduce usage**
What would be the ideal hypnotic: rapid onset, maintaining concentrations above the minimal effective amount throughout course of sleep and even increasing over the night to compensate for gradual reduction in homeostatic drive, then with level reaching nadir just prior to awakening (lest hangover, EDS, memory & motor problems)
* Am. J. Psychiatry, January 2002
** Am. J. Psychiatry, February 2004
72. Many Medications Disrupt Sleep Beta blockers (interfere with Serotonin & Melatonin)
Asthma medicines
ADHD medicines
Antidepressants (often depress REM, thus there is REM rebound at discontinuation)
Hormones (corticosteroids, thyroid)
73. Stimulants Some Common Sources Now-a-days:
Coffee: a cup of Joe with ~100-150 mg of caffeine = 1 mg of amphetamine
Red Bull: 250 mL = 80 mg of caffeine
Baker’s Chocolate: 1 oz = 26 mg of caffeine
74. Stimulants (continued) Modafinil – not chemically related to amphetamines – well tolerated & with low abuse potential (Schedule IV), & without tachyphylaxis – promotes wakefulness by inhibiting release of GABA at certain brain sites and enhances release of the alerting monoamine Histamine and binds to the Dopamine Reuptake Transporter – has no effect on cataplexy
75. Dietary/Herbal Sleep Preparations(pea-shooters in the armamentarium) Mostly: L-Tryptophan, Valerian, & Kava-kava
L-Tryptophan: precursor of Serotonin, a substrate for Melatonin – in milk (doesn’t need to be warmed) & turkey – FDA has limited availability after > 1,500 cases of Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome with at least 37 deaths in 1989
76. Dietary/Herbal (continued) Valerian (derivative of Valeriana officinalis plant): mechanism may be via inhibiting GABA reuptake or inhibiting postsynaptic potentials through activation of adenosine receptors in cortical neurons – in one study, little difference vs. Benadryl* - inhibitor of CYP3A4 – withdrawal when extensive use, similar to that seen with BZD’s – risk of hepatotoxicity & delirium
* Sleep, 2005, 28: 1465-1471
77. Dietary/Herbal (continued) Kava-kava: from root of Piper methysticum plant endogenous to Western Pacific, and used as hypnotic & anxiolytic – banned in many countries due to reports of serious hepatoxicity
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Others: Melatonin (OTC), Chamomilla (Sleepy-Time Tea), & Passiflora
78. The Atomic Bomb for Insomnia Chloral Hydrate (neither BZD nor Barbiturate) – today seldom used re: development of tolerance, hepatic & myocardial tissue damage, nightmares, ataxia, rare paradoxical excitement, hangover, GI irritation – also narrow therapeutic index with risk of death due to respiratory depression – also withdrawal Sx’s of delirium & Sz’s (seizures)
79. Seroquel & Zyprexa Goodness gracious, please don’t prescribe these for sleep problems, lest you harm: your patients by inviting metabolic syndrome, and yourself with ensuing litigation!
80. Benzodiazepines (BZD’s) Many vexing side effects to consider:
Rebound insomnia upon D/C – also alter sleep architecture: decreased REM & slow-wave sleep
Short-acting: anterograde amnesia especially with Triazolam (Halcion), and can over time sensitize the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis) leading to anxiety & need for dosage increase
Long-acting: associated with increased risk of falls & hip fractures in older patients
81. Sodium Oxybate Acts to hyperpolarize postsynaptic GABAB receptors located on thalamocortical neurons, and then induces pacemaker rhythms to form basis of slow-wave sleep, while it inhibits release of activating neurotransmitters (Norepinephrine, Dopamine, & Acetylcholine), thus establishes physiological conditions resembling natural sleep state – inhibits cataplexy
Sodium load may exacerbate hypertension in some vulnerable individuals
82. Newer Agents(Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta)[Schedule IV Controlled]
Ambien (Zolpidem): minimal alteration in sleep architecture, and without rebound insomnia at D/C – should take only if able to get full night’s sleep before resuming activity– similar to Triazolam in causing impaired short-term memory that is reversible by Flumazenil – concerning side effects (SE’s) include nightmares & amnesia - $4.02/tablet (5 & 10 mg)
83. Newer Agents (continued) Sonata (Zaleplon): very short 1 hour ˝-life used prn for sleep-onset insomnia, and can be used as last resort in early AM with at least 4 hours left to dedicate to sleep – SE’s include anxiety, increased menstrual pain, tingling/numbness, rash, & daytime poor concentration - $2.79/tablet (5mg) [$3.87 for 10 mg tablet]
84. Newer Agents (continued)
Lunesta (Eszoplicone): FDA approved for chronic use, with no tolerance over 6 month interval – SE’s include bitter metallic taste, cold symptoms, decreased libido, increased menstrual pain, vivid unusual dreams, painful gynecomastia in males - $3.75/tablet (3 mg)
85. Benadryl (Antihistamine) & Trazadone Diphenhydramine: for certain individuals paradoxical excitement results from use – risk delirium in elders – tolerance develops rather quickly – may decrease REM sleep
Trazadone: residual daytime sedation is common – SE’s of priapism, orthostatic hypotension, and also the Serotonin Syndrome* if taken with SSRI
* J. Clin. Psychiatry, 2004
86. Clonidine & Prazosin re: PTSD These generally ablate nightmares via lowering of adrenergic tone & arousal
Can combine with Imagery Rehearsal Rx*
Prazosin reduces light sleep (a time when PTSD nightmares arise) and normalizes REM, and also reduces secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone**
* JAMA, August 2001
** Am. J. Psychiatry, February 2003
87. Ramelteon (Rozerem) Not a controlled substance – no abuse liability – no cognitive or motor impairment at up to 20 times recommended dose – no associated alterations in sleep architecture
$2.89/tablet (8 mg)
Available on many health insurance plans (including United Healthcare, Humana, Coventry, & Tricare)
No rebound insomnia or withdrawal upon D/C
88. Ramelteon (continued) Selective MT1/MT2 receptor agonist:
- MT1: promotes sleep by inhibiting SCN
- MT2: chronobiotic, phase advance
- several times greater affinity than
ingesting OTC Melatonin
Negligible affinity for: BZD/GABA, Histamine, Dopamine, Acetylcholine, Serotonin, & Opioid receptors
89. Ramelteon (continued) Due to short ˝-life (1-2.5 hours) repeated once per day dosing does not appear to result in accumulation, thus can take long term
Improves sleep latency, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency
Ramelton 16 mg indistinguishable from Placebo re: mood, concentration, & alertness [per Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Visual Analog Scale, immediate & delayed memory recall tests]
90. Ramelteon (continued) Treatment of choice for insomnia in context of substance dependence
4 Rhesus monkeys given Ramelton (10.0 mg/kg) did not choose to substitute it for BZD, and over 1 year neither positive reinforcing nor withdrawal effects were observed
14 adults with Hx sedative abuse and taking up to 60 mg Ramelton [vs. Placebo, vs. Triazolam (0.25-0.75 mg)] showed no significant abuse potential per subjective measures
91. Ramelteon (continued) Few Caveats:
Mild Prolactin elevation, mostly in females
Avoid combining with Luvox (strong CPY1A2 inhibitor) as can dramatically increase Ramelton concentration – only absolute contraindication
Do not use in significant hepatic impairment
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No significant pharmacokinetic interactions with Digoxin, Warfarin, Omeprazole, & Theophyline
92. Ramelteon (continued) Salient References:
Johnson, MW, et al, Ramelteon: A Novel Hypnotic Lacking Abuse Liability & Sedative Adverse Effects, Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 2006, 63: 1149-57
Bellon, A, Searching for New Options for Treating Insomnia: Are Melatonin & Ramelteon Beneficial?, J. Psychiatric Practice, 2006, 12(4): 229-43
Rozerem (Ramelteon) in the Management of Insomnia, U.S. Pharmacist, April 2006
Roth, T, et al, Effects of Ramelteon on Patient-reported Sleep Latency in Older Adults with Chronic Insomnia, Sleep Medicine, 2006, 7(4): 312-18
93. Ramelteon (continued)[further references]
Ramelteon: Profile Report, CNS Drugs, 2005, 19(12): 1057-67
France, C, et al, Ramelteon Does Not Have Benzodiazepine Agonist-like Discriminative Stimulus Effects in Normal or Diazepam-dependent Rhesus Monkeys [Abstract], Sleep, 2005,28 (Suppl): A45
France, C, et al, Lack of Primary Physical Dependence Effects of Ramelteon in Rhesus Monkeys [Abstract], Sleep, 2005, 28 (Suppl): A45
94. Agomelatine[penultimate slide] Novel antidepressant – melatonergic agonist at MT1 & MT2 receptors, and an antagonist the 5-HT2c receptor – resets desynchronized circadian rhythms
Neutral regarding sexual function, sleep, and body weight – equivalent to placebo re: side effects, except for mild dizziness occurring early and which fades over time
95. THE END Good Night
Sleep Tight
Don’t Let The
Bed Bugs Bite