Combining Sleep Aid, Antidepressant May Benefit Some Suicidal Patients

Patients with major depressive disorder who are experiencing insomnia and suicidal thoughts may benefit from taking the hypnotic zolpidem in addition to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), according to astudy inAJP in Advance.“Insomnia symptoms are a driver of suicidal ideation,” wrote William V. McCall, M.D., of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and colleagues. The findings suggest that “hypnotic medications are effective for insomnia in suicidal outpatients with major depressive disorder and th at the resolution of suicidal ideation positively covaries with resolution of insomnia symptoms.”The researchers designed an eight-week study with 103 patients aged 18 to 65 who had major depressive disorder, suicidal thoughts, and insomnia and had started to take one of three SSRIs (fluoxetine, sertraline, or citalopram). These patients were randomized into two groups: one group took controlled-release zolpidem (zolpidem-CR), and the other took placebo. During follow-up visits at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, the researchers evaluated the participants for suicidal thoughts (using the Scale for Suicide Ideation and the Columbia –Suicide Severity Rating Scale, or C-SSRS), insomnia (using the Insomnia Severity Index), depression (using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), adverse events, and more.Beginning the first week, patients in the zolpidem-CR group reported greater improvements in insomnia compared with those taking placebo; these improveme...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: ajp in advance citalopram depression fluoxetine insomnia sertraline suicide William McCall zolpidem Source Type: research