Pharmacological options
for treating insomnia
Short-acting benzodiazepines or the newer hypnotic
‘z drugs’ are the current preferred medicines for
insomnia and are only available on prescription.
The short-acting benzodiazepines are:
n Temazepam
n Loprazolam
n Lormetazepam.
The z drugs are:
n Zopiclone
n Zolpidem
n Zaleplon.
There is little difference between the
benzodiazepines and z drugs and so, if one does not
work it is unlikely that swapping to another will have