Drug Shows Promise for Sleep Disorder

Drug Shows Promise for Sleep Disorder

The first large-scale study has demonstrated that

eszopiclone effectively treats long-term insomnia. (

Insomnia

is defined as the perception of inadequate or poorquality

sleep, accompanied by significant distress or impaired

function. It is considered chronic if it occurs on most

nights and lasts 1 month.)

In the 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

study, 788 patients aged 21 to 69 were given 3 mg

of eszopiclone nightly. The study revealed that doses of the

drug led to dramatic improvement in patients? ability to fall

asleep and stay asleep and in the quality of their sleep,

without any evidence of a loss of effect over time. Also, the

results showed that sleep improvements were associated

with consistent improvement in the patients? ratings of their

ability to function well every day. (The findings were published

in Sleep, November 1, 2003.)