COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF H-2-RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS ON SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENTS OF SLEEP

Background: Clinically, it is common for patients to experience drowsi ness in association with consumption of H-1-receptor antagonists. Repo rted side-effects with H-2-receptor antagonists include insomnia and s omnolence. The present study was designed to assess and compare the ef fects of three H-2-receptor antagonists (cimetidine, famotidine, and r anitidine) on nocturnal and daytime sleepiness. Methods: This is a dou ble-blind crossover study on 12 normal volunteers. Subjects were studi ed under conditions of placebo, cimetidine (400 mg b.d.), famotidine ( 20 mg b.d.), and ranitidine (150 mg b.d.) for one week. Sleep was asse ssed at the end of each one-week interval via polysomnographic evaluat ion conducted on nights 6 and 7 of drug administration. On the day bet ween the two nights in the sleep laboratory, a multiple sleep latency test was conducted. Results: The results revealed a significant reduct ion in the sleep onset latency with famotidine administration, but sin ce there were no effects of any of the medications in the multiple sle ep latency test, this finding is of dubious clinical significance. Cim etidine revealed a small increase in subjective estimates of sleepines s. No effects on sleep-related respiratory parameters were noted. Conc lusions: This study demonstrates the lack of effect of peripheral admi nistration of H-2-receptor antagonists on sleep stages, while subjecti ve or objective assessment of daytime alertness revealed small effects of famotidine and cimetidine.