Z-drugs in the treatment of insomnia Review article
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Abstract
Z-drugs are the group of nonbenzodiazepine medicines which are used in the treatment of insomnia. Z-drugs, i.e. zopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon, offer some substantial advantages over benzodiazepines. They improve the sleep architecture, as well as side effects occur less frequently than during benzodiazepine treatment. Z-drugs may be preferred over conventional benzodiazepines to treat short-term insomnia (less than 1 month) because they may be less likely to cause significant rebound insomnia and/or tolerance. All Z-drugs are considered to modulate the specific hypnotic-inducing subunit α1 of the GABA- A receptor.
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