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Background: Chronic insomnia presents a significant clinical challenge. Current guidelines recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-I) as first-line treatment for chronic and recurring insomnia lasting longer than three months. Advice about sleep hygiene, formerly a standard recommendation, lacks evidence of effectiveness. However, zopiclone and trazodone are commonly prescribed in British Columbia, often beyond approved indications, or at doses that exceed evidence-based ceilings. Randomized controlled trials show modest benefits from these drugs, but efficacy is limited to short-term use. They cause minor or serious harms as frequently as benefits, leading to concerns about overprescribing and the safety of long-term use. Aims: This Therapeutics Letter aims to identify the lowest effective doses for initial zopiclone and trazodone prescriptions, based on RCT evidence on sleep outcomes and their harm-benefit ratios. It proposes a practical tapering strategy for clinicians to help patients already taking excessive doses of zopiclone or trazodone to achieve the lowest effective dose, to minimize habituation and adverse effects. Recommendations: Emphasize CBT-I as the first-line therapy for chronic insomnia. Patients should complete a 1-week sleep diary before and after receiving any prescription medication for insomnia. If pharmacological treatment is considered for acute insomnia, prescribe hypnotics only short term (<7 days). Initiate zopiclone at 3.75 mg/day, and do not exceed 7.5 mg/day (5 mg/day for people over 65), and warn patients about next-day impairment. For trazodone, evidence does not support doses above 50 mg/day; efficacy may wane within two weeks. For patients on long-term or high doses, a gradual taper to the lowest effective dose should be attempted.