QUAZEPAM VERSUS TRIAZOLAM IN PATIENTS WITH SLEEP DISORDERS - A DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY

Quazepam, a recently introduced long-half-life benzodiazepine, seems t o have a more specific hypnotic activity and a physiological mechanism of action. The present study evaluated clinical efficacy and eventual ly rebound symptoms after the treatment with quazepam and triazolam. S ixty-five patients, affected by sleep disorders, were entered into the study. Patients were treated with a placebo for four days and, if no amelioration of insomnia was observed, they were allocated randomly to receive 15 mg of quazepam (32 patients) or 0.5 mg triazolam (33 patie nts) for eight weeks and finally the placebo for another week. The sle ep quality, the sleep efficacy, the unwanted effects and the rebound e ffects had been assessed by specific evaluation scales. Both of the dr ugs showed a hypnogenic efficacy but patients treated with quazepam ha d significantly less night awakenings; at the treatment's interruption , only the patients treated with triazolam had longer awakenings and r ebound symptoms. In conclusion, quazepam seems to have a good hypnotic effect without inducing rebound effects. On the contrary, triazolam t urned out to be just a hypnoinducent drug with higher risks of rebound effects after withdrawal.