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Temazepam withdrawal in elderly hospitalized patients: a double blind randomised trial comparing abrupt versus gradual withdrawal

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Summary

31 of 36 elderly mainly confused hospitalized patients (69–98 years) taking temazepam 10 mgs nocte for more than one month completed a double blind randomised placebo controlled trial comparing abrupt versus gradual withdrawal of temazepam. Hours of sleep were recorded for all patients during a 7 day baseline period while taking temazepam l0 mg nocte. Then the abrupt withdrawal (AW) group (n=15) received placebo for 10 nights and the gradual withdrawal (GW) group (n=16) received temazepam 5 mg for the first 4 nights, 2 mg for the next 4 nights and placebo for the last 2 nights. There was no significant difference in mean hours of nightly sleep during the baseline period between the AW group (5.9 ± 1.1 SD) and GW group (5.8 ±1.1 SD) and between the baseline and withdrawal periods in each group (withdrawal periods, AW 5.6 ± 1.2, GW 5.6 ±1.0). There was no rebound insomnia when temazepam was withdrawn either abruptly or gradually in long-term hospitalised elderly patients and may not be effective as a long-term hypnotic. Address for Correspondence:

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Belfast City Hospital, The Queen’s Univeristy of Belfast, Belfast

    T. C. K. Tham, H. Brown & H. McA Taggart

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  1. T. C. K. Tham
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  2. H. Brown
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  3. H. McA Taggart
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Tham, T.C.K., Brown, H. & McA Taggart, H. Temazepam withdrawal in elderly hospitalized patients: a double blind randomised trial comparing abrupt versus gradual withdrawal. I.J.M.S. 158, 294–296 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02942077

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02942077

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