Effects of the Sleeping Pill Ambien - Essay Example

The Strange Effects of the Sleeping Pill Ambien Sleep is one of the most essential needs of human beings and other living beings. The National Sleep Foundation maintains that eight to nine hours of sleep for adult humans is optimal and that sufficient sleep benefits alertness, memory and problem solving, overall health, as well as reducing the risk of accidents (National Sleep Foundation 2007). Sleep a basic necessity of life. It is as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water. A good sleep will allow us to wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to face daily challenges. When we don't have a good night sleep, every part of our body and life can suffer. The jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety are all put at risk. And lack of sleep due to sleep loss or sleep disorders is taking a serious toll globally. There are many who experience problems with sleep and often depend on sleeping pills. Sleeping pills belong to a larger group of substances known as the sedative-hypnotics, which slow down or "sedate" the central nervous system that includes the brain, and spinal cord. This affects thinking, feeling, and body movement and function (AADAC, 2003). Sleeping pills are not a new concept. Herbal potions and the opiate laudanum were used centuries ago to induce sleep. Barbiturates were introduced by the early 1900s. Later in 60s benzodiazepines were introduced. And in 90s a safer class of drugs for sleeplessness known as nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics came into the market (Mayo clinic staff 2007). Even though long-term studies on the effects of sleeping pills do not show encouraging results, still it is being used commonly. Some of the significant facts against these pills are as follows: There is high mortality rate among the users of sleeping pills than those who do not use them. Sleeping pills are only a temporary relief for patients with insomnia and do nothing to improve their condition and in most of the cases make the patient chemical dependent. These pills are known to reduce brain cell activity, affecting short-term memory as well as causing a hangover effect during the day. Sleeping pills stress the GABA neurotransmitter, which keeps the nerve cells in the lung tissue from firing. GABA actuation is also in charge of impaired physical ability. As a result of this thousands of traffic deaths, accidents and falls (especially in the elderly) are attributed to sleeping pills Sleeping pills are highly addictive. Sleeping pills are similar to barbiturates and are extremely difficult to stop using (Apollo Health 2007). Sleeping pills act by binding with protein molecules called GABA receptors on the surface of nerve cells. The same protein receptor molecules bind at the same time with a neurotransmitter chemical called GABA. Barbiturates and other sleeping pills accentuate the action of GABA which causes the receptor molecule to allow the negatively charged chloride ions to enter the nerve cells. The chloride ions then make the inside the nerve cell more negatively polarized, which in turn, makes the nerve cells less active. In the 1970's, a new group of sleeping pills became popular, molecules which chemically are named benzodiazepines. The main advantage of benzodiazepines is that they are less likely to produce acute overdose deaths than barbiturates (Kripke 2006). Chemical Structure of Zolpidem (Ambien) Source: Wikipedia Zolpidem (Ambien): Mechanism of action Zolpidem (Ambien) is used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Zolpidem is a prescription short-acting nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic that potentiates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, by binding to benzodiazepine type 1 (BZ1) receptors. However, zolpidem binds more exclusively to some of the several kinds of benzodiazepine receptors, and as a result it causes less anti-anxiety effect, less muscle weakness and less anti-epileptic effect than most benzodiazepines. It has been claimed that zolpidem distorts EEG sleep patterns less than other hypnotics and that it produces less withdrawal symptomatology. It works quickly (probably within 15 minutes) and has a short half-life (2-3 hours). Because of its short half-life, zolpidem produces comparatively little hangover but lacks effectiveness for treating early awakening. Zolpidem might boost daytime anxiety in some patients. It appears that zolpidem has little tendency to produce addiction, but addiction with zolpidem does rarely occur (Wikipedia 2007). In 1990, Pritchett and Seeburg noted that zolpidem binds with high affinity to the 1, with medium affinity to the 2, 3-GABAA receptor subunits, and found that it had no affinity for the 5 subunit (Ambien.com 2004). Two years later, zolpidem was noted to have a high affinity for 1; benzodiazepine receptors, a low affinity for 2 and a very low affintity for 3, respectively (Ruano et al 1992). In other words, it has the highest affinity for 1 binding sites on -1GABAA receptor subunits, and it is this that mediates its sedative and weak anticonvulsant properties (Wikipedia 2007). Why does Sleeping Pills' Cause Strange Effects As reported by the New York Times last year, after using the sleeping pill Ambien some of them started complaining to their doctors. Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking while using Ambien, and a few have reported driving, binge eating, sleep talking, and performing other daily tasks while sleeping. These are some of the very dangerous activities and can even be life threatening. According to the report it said that night eaters said they woke up to find Tostitos and Snickers wrappers in their beds, missing food, kitchen counters overflowing with flour from baking sprees, and even lighted stoves. Sleep-drivers reported frightening episodes in which they recalled going to bed, but woke up to find they had been arrested roadside in their underwear or nightclothes. These are some of the strange effects that were reported. Why does such incidence occur Many of them say that it is mainly because of the improper usage of these drugs. Some of them combine the usage of these drugs and alcohol. These drugs can have drastic impact when combined with alcohol. According to Dr. Russell Katz, the F.D.A.'s director for neurology products, drinking alcohol before or after taking the drugs appears to increase the chances of having such a reaction. Driving while under the drug's influence is generally considered several orders of magnitude more dangerous than the average drunk driver, due to the diminished motor controls and delusions that may affect the user. A person under the influence of this medication may seem fully aware of their environment even though they are still asleep. This can bring about concerns for the safety of the sleep walker and others. The recent article by Stephanie Saul is an eye opener regarding the strange effects of sleeping pills. This article said that the US FDA emphasized on improving the labeling of drugs and also ordered the makers of the well-known drugs such as Ambien and Lunesta and the producers of 11 other commonly used sleeping pills to create patient fliers explaining how to use them safely. This is an important issue to be addressed as the sales in the United States alone of Ambien and Lunesta in 2006 exceeded $3 billion. Zolpidem or Ambien is one of the most popular sleeping pills option in the U.S. in 2000 - 2005 and rapidly captured the majority of the U.S. market. Ambien and its extended-release formula, Ambien CR, made by Sanofi-Aventis, dominated the market in 2006 which accounted for 27.6 million of the 44 million sleep drug prescriptions in U.S (Saul 2007). This report has come out with several important recommendations. Besides warning against alcohol use, the new labels and guides need to inform consumers that they should not take the pills with other drugs that suppress the nervous system. The drug companies need to give extra care to publish some of the important recommendations by FDA. Though these drugs are helping patients with insomnia, the side effects are scary. Hence educating the patients about the right dosage and the precautions that need to be taken while having these drugs are essential. Work cited AADAC, Tranquillizers and Sleeping Pills: The ABCs (2003) Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, An Agency of the Government of Alberta, 4 April 2007, Ambien.com AMBIEN Prescribing Information. Information About a Short-term Treatment for Insomnia - Ambien.com Home Page for Health-care Professionals. Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. (2004). New York, NY 10016. Apollo Health, Dangers of Sleeping Pills (2007) Apollo Health, Inc. 5 April 2007, Kripke, D.F. The Dark Side of Sleeping Pills (2006) eBook, 4 April 2007, Mayo clinic staff, Sleeping pills: A prescription for better sleep (2007) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 4 April 2007, National Sleep Foundation, Let Sleep Work For You (2007) 5 April 2007 Ruano et al, Stilnox (Zolpidem Tartrate) Product Information Sanofi-Synthelabo Australia Pty Limited. (1992) Saul S. F.D.A. Warns of Sleeping pills' Strange Effects 15 March 2007, The New York Times. Wikipedia, Zolpidem 27 March 2007, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 4 April 2007, Read More