Here is a list of all medications, alphabetically arranged) that are FDA-approved for the treatment of insomnia as of March 2019. Their brand names, if any, are in parentheses.
Prescription medications for insomnia
Note that the prescription medications FDA-approved for the treatment of insomnia (listed below) include (in no particular order):
- Benzodiazepines (estazolam, flurazepam, quazepam, temazepam, triazolam)
- The so-called “Z drugs” (eszopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem)
- A tricyclic antidepressant (doxepin)
- Melatonin receptor agonists (ramelteon, tasimelteon),
- An orexin receptor antagonist (suvorexant), and
- Barbiturates (butabarbital, secobarbital).
Butabarbital (Butisol®)
Doxepin (Silenor®)
Estazolam
Eszopiclone (Lunesta®)
Flurazepam
Quazepam (Doral®)
Ramelteon (Rozerem®)
Secobarbital (Seconal®)
Suvorexant (Belsomra®)
Tasimelteon (Hetlioz®)
Temazepam (Restoril)
Triazolam (Halcion®)
Zaleplon (Sonata®)
Zolpidem (Ambien®, Ambien CR®)
Zolpidem oral spray (Zolpimist®)
Zolpidem sublingual (Edluar®, Intermezzo®)
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications for insomnia
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl®)
Doxylamine (Unisom®)
Related Pages
FDA-indications for hypnotic medications
Practical tips on using hypnotics: Benzodiazepines
Temazepam (Restoril®): Basic Information
Practical tips on using hypnotics: the Z drugs
Hypnotic if waking up in the middle of the night?
Eszopiclone (Lunesta®): Basic Information
Zolpidem (Ambien® and Ambien CR®): Basic Information
Zaleplon (Sonata®): Basic Information
Non-addictive sleep medications
Best hypnotics in elderly patients?
Hypnotics to avoid in the elderly (older adults)
Which hypnotics to use or avoid in persons with sleep apnea
Does melatonin work for insomnia?
Low-dose preparations of melatonin
Which brand and preparation of melatonin to recommend?
Is melatonin safe?
Can melatonin increase blood sugar?
Doxepin (Silenor®): Basic Information
Pros and cons of ramelteon (Rozerem) as a hypnotic
Ramelteon (Rozerem®): Basic Information
Suvorexant (Belsomra®): Basic Information
References
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/postmarketdrugsafetyinformationforpatientsandproviders/ucm101557.htm
Copyright 2019, Rajnish Mago, MD. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.
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