Comprimés de Zolpidem

About zolpidem

Insomnia, or poor sleep, is fairly common but it does not usually last for long. If you have problems sleeping, it may mean that you have difficulty getting off to sleep, or you may wake up for long periods during the night, or you may wake up too early in the morning. 'Sleeping tablets' like zolpidem are considered to be a last resort, but they are sometimes prescribed for a short period of time to help with a particularly bad patch of insomnia.

Zolpidem belongs to a class of medicines commonly called Z drugs. It works by acting on the way messages are sent in your brain, which help you to sleep. It reduces the time it takes for you to fall asleep and increases the length of time you spend sleeping.

Zolpidem will often work well in the short term, but it is not normally prescribed for more than 2-4 weeks. This is because your body gets used to it within a short period of time and after this it is unlikely to have the same effect. Your body may also become dependent on it when it is taken for longer periods of time than this.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking zolpidem it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte, essayez d'avoir un bébé ou allaitez.

• Si vous avez des problèmes respiratoires, ou si vous souffrez d'apnée du sommeil, un problème où vous arrêtez de respirer pendant de courtes périodes la nuit.

• If you have a condition called myasthenia gravis, or if you have any other condition causing muscle weakness, especially if this causes breathing difficulties.

• Si vous avez déjà eu une dépendance à la drogue ou à l'alcool.

• If you are feeling depressed, or if you have a mental health problem.

• Si vous avez des problèmes avec le fonctionnement de votre foie, ou des problèmes avec le fonctionnement de vos reins.

• Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament.

• Si vous prenez ou utilisez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments que vous prenez et qui sont disponibles à l'achat sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et complémentaires.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about zolpidem and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• It is usual to be prescribed one tablet (10 mg) to be taken just before going to bed. Do not take more than one dose during a single night. If you are over 65 years of age, your doctor may consider the 5 mg strength tablets more suitable for you.

• Take zolpidem exactly as your doctor tells you to. You could be advised to take a tablet on only two or three nights per week, rather than on every night.
  

• Do not take zolpidem for longer than your doctor advises. It is only recommended for a maximum period of four weeks. This is because your body gets used to this medicine quickly, and after this time it is unlikely to have the same effect. Your body can also become dependent on it when it is taken for longer than this.

• The tablets will make you sleepy and you could still feel sleepy the next day. Do not drive and do not use tools or machines on the following day unless at least eight hours have passed since you took the zolpidem tablet. Take your zolpidem dose only once, just before bedtime. Do not take another dose during the same night.

• Do not drink alcohol while you are on zolpidem. It will increase the risk of side-effects such as sleepwalking and doing other things which you are unable to remember when you wake up.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with zolpidem. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Some people taking zolpidem have done things while they are asleep that they do not remember when they wake up, such as sleepwalking, sleep-driving and having sex. If this happens to you, discuss it with your doctor.

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes que vous pensez être dus aux comprimés, parlez-en à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien pour obtenir des conseils supplémentaires.

• Gardez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.