Question from a Member:
I was always taught to not use medications like zolpidem in sleep apnea. However, I have been getting a number of patients with sleep apnea who are on zolpidem, with or without benzos and opiates on board. Are there any studies to help guide whether this is safe or not?
Insomnia is a common symptom in persons with obstructive sleep apnea. In recent years, it has been realized that insomnia can exist as a separate, comorbid disorder in persons with sleep apnea (Ong and Crawford, 2013). In fact, insomnia can also be a new symptom in persons being treated for sleep apnea (Caetano Mota et al., 2015).
Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may lead to improvement in the sleep apnea (Mendes and dos Santos, 2015). But patients with obstructive sleep apnea often request hypnotic medications.
What is the effect of hypnotics on sleep apnea? Are some hypnotics safer than others in patients who have sleep apnea?
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