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What is Zaleplon
Zaleplon is a short-acting, non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic. It belongs to a new class of drugs known as pyrazolopyrimidines. Zaleplon possesses anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, hypnotic, and myorelaxant properties.
It has been shown to decrease the time to sleep onset for up to 35 days in clinical trials without tolerance and has minimal withdrawal-emergent adverse effects.
Compared to zolpidem, zaleplon has a faster onset of action and a shorter terminal elimination half-life. Both zaleplon and zolpidem are not associated with early morning awakening.
Zaleplon was approved by the FDA in August 1999.
Brand Name
Sonata
Indications & Dosage
- insomnia
For the short-term (generally 7 to 10 days) treatment of insomnia
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- abnormal dreams
- acne vulgaris
- agitation
- alopecia
- amnesia
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anemia
- angina
- angioedema
- anorexia
- anxiety
- apnea
- appetite stimulation
- arthralgia
- arthropathy
- asthenia
- ataxia
- atopic dermatitis
- back pain
- blepharitis
- bradycardia
- bronchospasm
- bundle-branch block
- cataracts
- cheilitis
- chest pain (unspecified)
- cholelithiasis
- colitis
- complex sleep-related behaviors
- confusion
- conjunctivitis
- constipation
- contact dermatitis
- corneal erosion
- cyanosis
- cystitis
- depression
- diabetes mellitus
- diplopia
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dysarthria
- dysgeusia
- dysmenorrhea
- dyspepsia
- dysphagia
- dyspnea
- dystonic reaction
- dysuria
- ecchymosis
- edema
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- emotional lability
- eosinophilia
- epistaxis
- eructation
- esophagitis
- euphoria
- fever
- flatulence
- gastritis
- GI obstruction
- gingivitis
- glossitis
- goiter
- gout
- hallucinations
- headache
- hearing loss
- hematuria
- hiccups
- hostility
- hyperacusis
- hyperbilirubinemia
- hypercholesterolemia
- hyperesthesia
- hyperglycemia
- hyperhidrosis
- hyperkinesis
- hyperreflexia
- hypersalivation
- hypertension
- hypertonia
- hyperuricemia
- hyperventilation
- hypoglycemia
- hyporeflexia
- hypotension
- hypothyroidism
- hypotonia
- impaired cognition
- impotence (erectile dysfunction)
- increased urinary frequency
- insomnia
- lactose intolerance
- laryngitis
- leukocytosis
- leukorrhea
- libido decrease
- lymphadenopathy
- lymphocytosis
- maculopapular rash
- malaise
- mastalgia
- melena
- memory impairment
- menorrhagia
- menstrual irregularity
- myalgia
- myasthenia
- myoclonia
- nausea
- nephrolithiasis
- neuropathic pain
- nightmares
- nystagmus
- ocular hemorrhage
- ocular pain
- oral ulceration
- orthostatic hypotension
- osteoporosis
- otalgia
- palpitations
- paresthesias
- parosmia
- peptic ulcer
- pericardial effusion
- peripheral edema
- peripheral vasodilation
- photophobia
- photosensitivity
- physiological dependence
- pleural effusion
- proteinuria
- pruritus
- psoriasis
- psychomotor impairment
- ptosis
- pulmonary embolism
- purpura
- rash
- respiratory depression
- retinal detachment
- seizures
- sinus tachycardia
- skin discoloration
- somnambulism
- stomatitis
- syncope
- teeth grinding (bruxism)
- tinnitus
- tongue discoloration
- tremor
- trismus
- urinary incontinence
- urinary retention
- urinary urgency
- urticaria
- vaginal bleeding
- vaginitis
- ventricular tachycardia
- vertigo
- visual impairment
- weight gain
- weight loss
- xerophthalmia
- xerosis
- xerostomia
Monitoring Parameters
- laboratory monitoring not necessary
Contraindications
- abrupt discontinuation
- alcoholism
- behavioral changes
- breast-feeding
- children
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- coadministration with other CNS depressants
- complex sleep-related behaviors
- depression
- driving or operating machinery
- drug-induced complex sleep-related behaviors
- ethanol ingestion
- geriatric
- hepatic disease
- history of angioedema
- infants
- labor
- obstetric delivery
- pregnancy
- respiratory depression
- respiratory insufficiency
- salicylate hypersensitivity
- sleep apnea
- substance abuse
- suicidal ideation
- tartrazine dye hypersensitivity
Interactions
- Acetaminophen; Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Magnesium Salicylate; Phenyltoloxamine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Phenyltoloxamine; Salicylamide
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine; Phenyltoloxamine
- Acetaminophen; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Doxylamine
- Acetaminophen; Dichloralphenazone; Isometheptene
- Acetaminophen; Diphenhydramine
- Acetaminophen; Hydrocodone
- Acetaminophen; Oxycodone
- Acetaminophen; Pentazocine
- Acetaminophen; Propoxyphene
- Acetaminophen; Tramadol
- Acrivastine; Pseudoephedrine
- Aldesleukin, IL-2
- Alfentanil
- Alprazolam
- Amitriptyline
- Amitriptyline; Chlordiazepoxide
- Amobarbital
- Amoxapine
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Lansoprazole
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Omeprazole
- Apalutamide
- Apomorphine
- Apraclonidine
- Aripiprazole
- Asenapine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Orphenadrine
- Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol
- Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Oxycodone
- Atazanavir
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Atropine; Difenoxin
- Atropine; Diphenoxylate
- Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine
- atypical antipsychotic
- Azelastine
- Azelastine; Fluticasone
- Baclofen
- Barbiturates
- Belladonna Alkaloids; Ergotamine; Phenobarbital
- Belladonna; Opium
- Benzhydrocodone; Acetaminophen
- Benzodiazepines
- Benztropine
- Brexpiprazole
- Brimonidine
- Brimonidine; Brinzolamide
- Brimonidine; Timolol
- Brompheniramine
- Brompheniramine; Carbetapentane; Phenylephrine
- Brompheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Guaifenesin
- Brompheniramine; Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone
- Brompheniramine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Brompheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Buprenorphine
- Buprenorphine; Naloxone
- Buspirone
- Butabarbital
- Butorphanol
- Caffeine
- Caffeine; Ergotamine
- Cannabidiol
- Capsaicin; Metaxalone
- Carbamazepine
- Carbetapentane; Chlorpheniramine
- Carbetapentane; Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Diphenhydramine; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Guaifenesin
- Carbetapentane; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Phenylephrine; Pyrilamine
- Carbetapentane; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbetapentane; Pyrilamine
- Carbidopa; Levodopa; Entacapone
- Carbinoxamine
- Carbinoxamine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Carbinoxamine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Phenylephrine
- Carbinoxamine; Pseudoephedrine
- Cariprazine
- Carisoprodol
- Cenobamate
- Ceritinib
- Cetirizine
- Cetirizine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlophedianol; Dexbrompheniramine
- Chlophedianol; Dexchlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chloramphenicol
- Chlorcyclizine
- Chlordiazepoxide
- Chlordiazepoxide; Clidinium
- Chlorpheniramine
- Chlorpheniramine; Codeine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan
- Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dihydrocodeine; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dihydrocodeine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorzoxazone
- Cimetidine
- Clarithromycin
- Clemastine
- Clobazam
- Clomipramine
- Clonazepam
- Clorazepate
- Clozapine
- Cobicistat
- Codeine
- Codeine; Guaifenesin
- Codeine; Phenylephrine; Promethazine
- Codeine; Promethazine
- COMT inhibitors
- Conivaptan
- Cyclizine
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Cyproheptadine
- Dantrolene
- Darunavir
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Dasabuvir; Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Delavirdine
- Desipramine
- Deutetrabenazine
- Dexchlorpheniramine
- Dexchlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Dexmedetomidine
- Dextromethorphan; Diphenhydramine; Phenylephrine
- Diazepam
- Dicyclomine
- Dihydrocodeine; Guaifenesin; Pseudoephedrine
- Dimenhydrinate
- Diphenhydramine
- Diphenhydramine; Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Diphenhydramine; Phenylephrine
- Doxepin
- Doxylamine
- Doxylamine; Pyridoxine
- Dronabinol
- Droperidol
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Enflurane
- Entacapone
- Enzalutamide
- Erythromycin
- Erythromycin; Sulfisoxazole
- Esketamine
- Estazolam
- Ethanol
- Etomidate
- Ezogabine
- Fentanyl
- Flumazenil
- Fluoxetine; Olanzapine
- Flurazepam
- food
- Fosamprenavir
- Fosphenytoin
- Fospropofol
- Gabapentin
- General anesthetics
- grapefruit juice
- Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone
- Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Haloperidol
- Halothane
- Homatropine; Hydrocodone
- Hydrocodone
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Hydrocodone; Potassium Guaiacolsulfonate
- Hydrocodone; Potassium Guaiacolsulfonate; Pseudoephedrine
- Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Hydromorphone
- Hydroxyzine
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
- Idelalisib
- Iloperidone
- Imipramine
- Indinavir
- Isocarboxazid
- Isoflurane
- Isoniazid, INH; Pyrazinamide, PZA; Rifampin
- Isoniazid, INH; Rifampin
- Itraconazole
- Ketamine
- Ketoconazole
- Lasmiditan
- Lemborexant
- Levocetirizine
- Levomethadyl
- Levorphanol
- Lithium
- Lofexidine
- Lopinavir; Ritonavir
- Lorazepam
- Loxapine
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Lumateperone
- Lurasidone
- Maprotiline
- Meclizine
- Melatonin
- Mepenzolate
- Meperidine
- Meperidine; Promethazine
- Mephobarbital
- Metaxalone
- Methadone
- Methocarbamol
- Methohexital
- Methscopolamine
- Metoclopramide
- Midazolam
- Mifepristone
- Mirtazapine
- Mitotane
- Molindone
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
- Morphine
- Morphine; Naltrexone
- Nabilone
- Nalbuphine
- Nefazodone
- Nelfinavir
- Nortriptyline
- Olanzapine
- Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Orphenadrine
- Oxazepam
- Oxybutynin
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Paliperidone
- Papaverine
- Pentazocine
- Pentazocine; Naloxone
- Pentobarbital
- Perampanel
- Perphenazine; Amitriptyline
- Phenelzine
- Phenobarbital
- Phenothiazines
- Phentermine; Topiramate
- Phenytoin
- Pimozide
- Posaconazole
- Pramipexole
- Pregabalin
- Primidone
- Propofol
- Propoxyphene
- Protriptyline
- Quazepam
- Quetiapine
- Ramelteon
- Rasagiline
- Remifentanil
- Ribociclib
- Ribociclib; Letrozole
- Rifampin
- Risperidone
- Ritonavir
- Ropinirole
- Rotigotine
- Safinamide
- Saquinavir
- Scopolamine
- Secobarbital
- Sedating H1-blockers
- Selegiline
- Sevoflurane
- Sodium Oxybate
- St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum
- Sufentanil
- Suvorexant
- Tapentadol
- Telithromycin
- Temazepam
- Tetrabenazine
- Thalidomide
- Thiopental
- Thiothixene
- Tipranavir
- Tizanidine
- Tolcapone
- Topiramate
- Tramadol
- Tranylcypromine
- Trazodone
- Triazolam
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Trihexyphenidyl
- Trimethobenzamide
- Trimipramine
- Triprolidine
- Tucatinib
- Valerian, Valeriana officinalis
- Vigabatrin
- Vilazodone
- Voriconazole
- Ziconotide
- Ziprasidone
