[Table, Understanding Your Options]. - Comparative Effectiveness Review Summary Guides for Consumers

Medicines	Possible Side Effects	Warnings About More Serious Possible Side Effects
Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics
Eszopiclone (Lunesta^®)	Unpleasant taste in your mouth Headache Drowsiness Dizziness Dry mouth Rash Anxiety Hallucinations Symptoms of the common cold	Eszopiclone (Lunesta^®), zolpidem (Ambien^®), and zaleplon (Sonata^®) can cause: » A severe allergic reaction (swelling of the tongue or throat and trouble breathing). » Withdrawal symptoms when the amount of the medicine taken is lowered suddenly or the medicine is stopped. People with liver, kidney, or breathing problems should talk with their health care professional before taking eszopiclone (Lunesta^®), zolpidem (Ambien^®), or zaleplon (Sonata^®). Drowsiness could lead to falls, which may lead to severe injury.
Zolpidem (Ambien^®)	Drowsiness Dizziness Diarrhea
Zaleplon (Sonata^®)	Drowsiness Lightheadedness Dizziness “Pins and needles” feeling on your skin Trouble with coordination Headache
Orexin receptor antagonist
Suvorexant (Belsomra^®)	Drowsiness	Suvorexant (Belsomra^®) can cause sleep paralysis (not being able to move or talk for several minutes while going to sleep or waking up). People with breathing problems should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.
Melatonin agonist
Ramelteon (Rozerem^®)	Drowsiness Dizziness Tiredness Nausea Worsened insomnia	Ramelteon (Rozerem^®) can cause a severe allergic reaction (swelling of the tongue or throat and trouble breathing). People with liver problems or sleep apnea should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.
Antidepressant
Doxepin (Silenor^®)	Drowsiness Nausea Upper respiratory tract infection	People with sleep apnea should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.
Benzodiazepine hypnotic
Temazepam (Restoril^®)	Drowsiness Dizziness Headache Nervousness Nausea	Temazepam (Restoril^®) can cause: » A severe allergic reaction (swelling of the tongue or throat and trouble breathing). » Withdrawal symptoms when the amount of the medicine taken is lowered suddenly or the medicine is stopped. Taking this medicine with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other medicines that cause drowsiness can lead to severe drowsiness, breathing problems, coma, and death. This medicine has a risk of abuse (taking more of the medicine than your health care professional has prescribed) and dependence (feeling like you have to take the medicine and cannot stop). People with liver, kidney, or breathing problems should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.

Medicines

Possible Side Effects

Warnings About More Serious Possible Side Effects

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics

Eszopiclone (Lunesta^®)

Unpleasant taste in your mouth
Headache
Drowsiness
Dizziness
Dry mouth
Rash
Anxiety
Hallucinations
Symptoms of the common cold

Eszopiclone (Lunesta^®), zolpidem (Ambien^®), and zaleplon (Sonata^®) can cause:
»
A severe allergic reaction (swelling of the tongue or throat and trouble breathing).
»
Withdrawal symptoms when the amount of the medicine taken is lowered suddenly or the medicine is stopped.
People with liver, kidney, or breathing problems should talk with their health care professional before taking eszopiclone (Lunesta^®), zolpidem (Ambien^®), or zaleplon (Sonata^®).
Drowsiness could lead to falls, which may lead to severe injury.

Zolpidem (Ambien^®)

Drowsiness
Dizziness
Diarrhea

Zaleplon (Sonata^®)

Drowsiness
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
“Pins and needles” feeling on your skin
Trouble with coordination
Headache

Orexin receptor antagonist

Suvorexant (Belsomra^®)

Drowsiness

Suvorexant (Belsomra^®) can cause sleep paralysis (not being able to move or talk for several minutes while going to sleep or waking up).
People with breathing problems should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.

Melatonin agonist

Ramelteon (Rozerem^®)

Drowsiness
Dizziness
Tiredness
Nausea
Worsened insomnia

Ramelteon (Rozerem^®) can cause a severe allergic reaction (swelling of the tongue or throat and trouble breathing).
People with liver problems or sleep apnea should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.

Antidepressant

Doxepin (Silenor^®)

Drowsiness
Nausea
Upper respiratory tract infection

People with sleep apnea should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.

Benzodiazepine hypnotic

Temazepam (Restoril^®)

Drowsiness
Dizziness
Headache
Nervousness
Nausea

Temazepam (Restoril^®) can cause:
»
A severe allergic reaction (swelling of the tongue or throat and trouble breathing).
»
Withdrawal symptoms when the amount of the medicine taken is lowered suddenly or the medicine is stopped.
Taking this medicine with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other medicines that cause drowsiness can lead to severe drowsiness, breathing problems, coma, and death.
This medicine has a risk of abuse (taking more of the medicine than your health care professional has prescribed) and dependence (feeling like you have to take the medicine and cannot stop).
People with liver, kidney, or breathing problems should talk with their health care professional before taking this medicine.

From: Managing Insomnia Disorder

Comparative Effectiveness Review Summary Guides for Consumers [Internet].

Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2005-.

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