Many of us have experienced sleep problems at least once in our lives. If this has become a common occurrence for you and interferes with your daily life, you can safely say that you have a disorder in the natural physiological process of being in a state with a minimum level of brain activity and a weak response to the world around you. Due to sleep disturbance, not only drowsiness appears, but also mental balance and he alth deteriorate. If you have problems of this nature, the drug "Somnol" will come to your aid. Indications for use, a description of the pharmacological action, reviews of doctors and patients, as well as equally effective analogues of the drug are discussed in this material.
Dose form and composition
The drug in the network of pharmacies comes in the form of biconvex white tablets in the shell, on the front side of which there is a mark. They are packaged in blisters of 10 pieces. One Somnol tablet contains 7.5 mg of zopiclone,potato starch, magnesium stearate, calcium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous, sodium glycolate, silicon dioxide, aerosil, and povidone and color.
Pharmacodynamics
The main substance that is part of "Somnol" is a sleeping pill that belongs to the group of cyclopyrrolone. Zopiclone has a hypnotic, sedative, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing and muscle relaxant effect. These pharmacological effects are due to the action of the main substance on the receptors of the central nervous system.
When taking the drug, the main substance of which is zopiclone, the time to fall asleep and the frequency of night awakenings decrease, the duration of sleep and its quality increase.
With prolonged treatment, up to 4 months, the drug Somnol is not addictive (the instructions for use indicate this).
Pharmacological action
The main difference between Somnol and other sleeping pills is the presence in its composition of a chemical compound called zopiclone. This tool reduces the time to fall asleep, supports sleep after its onset, without violating the change of phases and its quality. The effect of the drug occurs half an hour after taking it and lasts for 6-8 hours, which coincides in time with the length of the normal, natural physiological process of being in a state with minimal brain activity and a reduced reaction to what is happening around.
Unlike barbiturates and benzodiazepines, the feeling of drowsiness and weakness practically does not occur when taking the drug"Somnol". Instructions for use indicate that the half-life from the body does not exceed 3.5-6 hours, even with prolonged use, metabolites do not accumulate. Reviews indicate that this remedy eliminates headaches, in people with bronchial asthma, when taken, the frequency of night and morning attacks decreases, as well as their duration and intensity.
Drug "Somnol": instructions, indications for use
In what cases do they resort to the use of medication? The drug "Somnol" instruction recommends using in case of:
- Primary sleep disorders (problems falling asleep, frequent awakenings at night, situational and transient forms of insomnia).
- Bronchial asthma, which is characterized by nocturnal and morning attacks. Taken in combination with Theophylline.
- Secondary sleep disorders in mental disorders.
Method of administration and dosage
The drug "Somnol" is taken orally (the instruction indicates this). It is recommended to use the medication for a short time, no more than 4 weeks, taking into account the period of dose reduction. It is possible to increase the duration of therapy only after re-evaluating the patient's condition.
Treatment should be started with the minimum dosage, in no case exceed the maximum allowable dose.
Drug "Somnol" instructions for use recommends taking mainly before bedtime.
In case of kidney failure, treatment should be started from halftablets (3.75 mg), despite the fact that zopiclone and metabolites do not accumulate in renal failure.
For patients under 65 years of age, the drug "Somnol" instructions for use of a tablet of 7.5 mg recommends taking it once a day.
In case of liver dysfunction, treatment is started with 3.75 mg no more than once a day, since the duration of drug elimination in such patients is reduced. If necessary, the dosage can be increased to 7.5 mg, while individual sensitivity to the constituent components of the drug must be taken into account.
With respiratory failure, treatment, as well as with impaired liver function, begins with 3.75 mg no more than once a day. This technique is also used for people over 65 years old, if necessary, the dosage can be gradually increased.
Whatever the indications for the use of Somnol, the daily dose should not exceed 7.5 mg. With transient insomnia, treatment is continued for no more than 5 days, and for situational insomnia - no more than 3 weeks. As for the chronic form, in such a situation, the course of therapy is determined only by a specialist.
Drug Interactions
When Somnol is taken simultaneously with neuroleptics, other hypnotics, anticonvulsants and sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants, opioid analgesics, anesthetics or erythromycin, the inhibitory effect on the central nervous system increases.
Whentreatment with this medication reduces the concentration of trimipramine in the blood plasma and weakens its effect.
The drug "Somnol" instructions for use prohibits the use simultaneously with ethanol, as this can cause an increase in the sedative effect of the main substance - zopiclone.
Side effects
According to the reviews of specialists and patients, treatment with Somnol may be accompanied by the following undesirable effects:
- Nervous system - drowsiness, feeling overwhelmed after sleep, headache, dizziness, depressed mood, loss of ability to remember current events. As a result of the use of this sleeping pill, in some cases, paradoxical reactions appear: increased irritability, which can develop into aggressiveness, coordination of movements, memory concentration is disturbed, the speed of mental reactions decreases, consciousness becomes confused, depression appears. After the patient stops taking Somnol (instructions, indications for use are given in this material), he may experience a transient sleep disturbance.
- Gastrointestinal tract - normal activity of the stomach is disturbed, a metallic or bitter taste appears in the mouth.
- Laboratory indicators - in the blood serum, liver transaminases and alkaline phosphatase are elevated.
- Immune system - allergic reactions appear in the form of urticaria, skin itching, in rare cases - angioedema.
Contraindications for use
Use the drug "Somnol" instruction does not allow:
- When hypersensitivity to ingredients.
- Night respiratory arrest.
- Moderate or severe autoimmune neuromuscular disease.
- Respiratory, kidney or liver failure.
- Pregnancy.
- During lactation.
In addition, this sleeping pill is contraindicated for children under 18 years of age.
Do not forget that taking the medicine can cause addiction, the development of a withdrawal syndrome is also noted, therefore it is strictly forbidden to increase the dose and duration of treatment without consulting an experienced specialist.
Overdose
Symptoms of exceeding recommended doses depend on how depressed the central nervous system is. Most often, drowsiness appears, less often a person falls into a coma. For first aid, it is necessary for the patient to wash the stomach, take activated charcoal, if necessary, use symptomatic therapy in a hospital. Hemodialysis with an overdose of Somnol has an ineffective effect. As an antidote, you can use a drug from the group of detoxifying drugs - Flumazenil.
Special Instructions
The drug "Somnol" (instructions for use, reviews are detailed in this material) should be taken especially carefully by patients with kidney and liver diseases and the elderly. During the periodtreatment is strictly prohibited the use of alcoholic beverages.
Under the influence of alcohol, the sedative effect of the sleeping pill is enhanced. The combined use of these drugs causes drowsiness upon waking, which adversely affects the ability to drive a vehicle.
Reception "Somnol" can lead to the development of mental and physical dependence. Such cases are extremely rare, when the course of treatment does not exceed one month. If the dose and duration of the drug were independently increased, the likelihood of developing dependence increases.
The risk is also increased when a sleep aid is given to people with personality changes and a history of heavy drinking and dependence on certain medications. Sudden discontinuation of sleeping pills in patients with dependence can cause the development of a withdrawal syndrome, which is characterized by the appearance of a feeling of fear, headaches and muscle pain, confusion, and internal tension. In rare cases, personality changes are observed, the limbs become less sensitive, convulsions and hallucinations appear.
After cessation of treatment, transient insomnia may recur, accompanied by one of the withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, therapy should be completed gradually.
If, after treatment with Somnol, there are still problems with falling asleep or waking up at night, in order to avoid the onset of anterograde amnesia, it is recommended to take a sleeping pilljust before going to bed.
Use during pregnancy
The lack of clinical data is a significant reason to refuse to take Somnol in the first trimester of pregnancy. If necessary, it is permissible to use the drug in the last months of bearing a child, but only in minimal doses.
Zopiclone, which is part of Somnol, in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy can cause symptoms of hypothermia and hypotension in the fetus, it should also be noted the likelihood of respiratory depression and excessive drowsiness. And in the first days of life, a newborn may experience withdrawal symptoms.
If the drug is prescribed to women of childbearing age, they should be aware of the need to seek the advice of a specialist to decide whether to stop treatment in case of pregnancy.
Since the active substance "Somnol" is excreted with mother's milk, taking the drug during breastfeeding can cause weakness and reduced tone in the newborn.
Storage rules and dispensing in pharmacies
Store sleeping pills in dry places out of reach of children, where direct sunlight does not fall and where the air temperature does not exceed 25 degrees.
You can buy a medicine for an average of 200 rubles and only with a doctor's prescription, it is not intended for self-use.
Drug "Somnol": instructions for use, analogues
Reviews about sleeping pills are contradictory. Some note that when taking the medicine, they were able to get rid of insomnia, headaches and frequent night awakenings. Other patients feel that the drug has not cured their problems.
In any case, if the medicine is taken on the recommendation of a doctor, strictly following the instructions, the drug Somnol copes well with insomnia. Analogues, indications for the use of which may differ slightly, have no less effective effect. The most famous drugs of identical action include:
- Sovan;
- "Imovan";
- "Andante";
- "Selofen";
- Zopiclone;
- "Adorma";
- "Normason";
- "Sonata";
- Donormil;
- Piklon.
