RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF HYPNOTIC USE IN COMBINATION WITH FLUOXETINE OR SERTRALINE

Sertraline and fluoxetine are being used extensively in depressed pati ents; however, both drugs can cause insomnia. Quite often, practitione rs will administer these drugs concomitantly with an hypnotic or sedat ive drug to enable the patient to sleep. This retrospective review loo ked at both the number and type of hypnotic agents utilised to allow p atients receiving either sertraline or fluoxetine to sleep. 159 patien ts were identified as taking sertraline during the designated 90-day t ime period. 61.6% of the sertraline patients were taking concomitant h ypnotic agents. 80 patients were identified as taking fluoxetine durin g the designated 90-day time period, and 58.8% of the fluoxetine patie nts were taking concomitant hypnotic agents. This high percentage of p atients receiving concomitant administration of these agents warrants continued monitoring of the activating effects of fluoxetine and sertr aline, the complicating drug-drug interactions, and the costs associat ed with polypharmacy.