EFFECTS OF ZOLPIDEM ON SLEEP ARCHITECTURE, NIGHT TIME VENTILATION, DAYTIME VIGILANCE AND PERFORMANCE IN HEAVY SNORERS

1 In a double-blind, crossover, placebo controlled trial, zolpidem 10 mg, a new imidazopyridine hypnotic drug, was administered in a single dose to 10 healthy non-obese heavy snorers. 2 Nocturnal polysomnograph y showed that zolpidem increased total sleep time, sleep efficiency an d the percentage of stage 2. 3 Respiratory monitoring showed that zolp idem did not modify the percentage of total sleep rime spent snoring. The percentages of total sleep time with a SaO(2) < 4% of the baseline value and with a SaO(2) < 90% and the mean SaO(2) were also unchanged with zolpidem. The respiratory disturbance index was modestly increas ed by zolpidem although in all but one subject it remained < 5 with bo th treatments. 4 Zolpidem intake did not impair daytime vigilance and performance evaluated the day after.