Trazodone for Insomnia: A Systematic Review

Conclusion. A review of the literature suggests that there are adequate data supporting the efficacy and general safety of the low-dose use of trazodone for the treatment of insomnia. keywords: insomnia, hypnotics, treatment, trazodone, sedative Keywords: insomnia, hypnotics, treatment, trazodone, sedative Innov Clin Neurosci. 2017;14(9–10):24–34 Introduction Insomnia is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking too early1 and is associated with significant impairments in daytime activities, which might occur despite adequate opportunities for sleep.2–6 Primary insomnia is an organic illness in which sleep disturbances last longer than one month and have no identifiable etiology.7 Secondary insomnia might be caused by psychiatric or medical disorders, environmental factors, changes in circadian rhythm, or medication use. Effective treatment requires appropriate diagnosis, as well as behavioral and pharmacological therapy. Currently, benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BzRAs), such as zolpidem (Ambien) have been the preferred treatment of insomnia. However, trazodone was recently among the most widely prescribed sleep aids in the United States, despite being approved for depression by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).8–10 Given this widespread use, it seems beneficial to evaluate the literature on the efficacy and safety of trazodone when administered for the treatment of insomnia. A MEDLINE search of the literature from 1983 ...
Source: Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Current Issue Review hypnotics insomnia sedative trazodone treatment Source Type: research