Zolpidem abuse: About a case

Abstract

Objective

Zolpidem is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic drug for treatment of insomnia and is generally believed that is a safe medication. Therefore has been introduced as a lower potential agent for dependency and abusive effects however its safety and dependence potential are of great concern.

Case report

A 63 years old male patient had consulted a general physician in January 2015 for his insomnia. He started on zolpidem 10 mg at bedtime. Over the next few months he had gradually increased the dose as he found the prescribed dose to be having no significant effect. After abrupt discontinuation of zolpidem, he presented to a center for drug users “AIDE ET ECOUTE” with severe anxiety, impatience, loss of energy, insomnia, irritability, headaches, and increased craving for higher dosage of zolpidem. There was no history of any other substance abuse and he was diagnosed simultaneously a case of zolpidem dependence and major depressive disorder.

Conclusions

Zolpidem has a potency to be abused with high risk of dependency and withdrawal syndromes particularly among elderly patients with comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.