BACKGROUND Sleep disorders, especially chronic insomnia, have become major health problem worldwide and, as a result, the use of hypnotics is steadily increasing. However, few studies with a large sample size and long-term observation have been conducted to investigate the relationship between specific hypnotics and mortality. METHODS We conducted this retrospective cohort study using data fr...

A simple and reliable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for identifying and quantifying psychoactive drugs in oral fluid is described. Substances under investigation were: psychostimulant drugs (amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxiamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine, phentermine), cocaine and metabolites (benzoylecgonine, c...

THE VALUE OF HYPNOTICS The value of all medication for sleep has been called into question. Although current research is adding to our knowledge of what happens to the brain, the circulation and the endocrine system during sleep, we are ignorant of how much sleep is needed and what processes need to go on during sleep. There is evidence (Oswald 1973) that hypnotics interfere with the physiologi...

Constipation is a common problem in hospitalized patients; however, the relative risks of its development with various factors have not been clarified. To clarify the risk factors associated with constipation, we performed a case-controlled study of 165 hospitalized patients who were not laxative users on admission. They were divided into case (n=35) and control (n=130) groups according to laxa...

OBJECTIVE Insomnia is associated with increased risk for suicide. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated that warnings regarding suicide be included in the prescribing information for hypnotic medications. The authors conducted a review of the evidence for and against the claim that hypnotics increase the risk of suicide. METHOD This review focused on modern, FDA-approved hypnoti...

This is a review of hypnotic drug risks and benefits, reassessing and updating advice presented to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (United States FDA). Almost every month, new information appears about the risks of hypnotics (sleeping pills). This review includes new information on the growing USA overdose epidemic, eight new epidemiologic studies of hypnotics' mortality no...

There has been insufficient evidence on whether exposure to hypnotics affects the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The aim of this study was to examine patients with nonapnea sleep disorders using zolpidem, benzodiazepines (BZDs), or a combination of both, and their risk of T2DM. This was a population-based retrospective cohort study using data from 1997 to 2011. Data from the Taiwan National He...

BACKGROUND Nonmedical prescription drug use (NMPDU) refers to the self-treatment of a medical condition using medication without a prescriber's authorization as well as use to achieve euphoric states. This article reports data from a cross-national investigation of NMPDU in five European Countries, with the aim to understand the prevalence and characteristics of those engaging in NMPDU across t...