What are the sleep terrors (pavor nocturnus)?
Sleep terrors, also known as pavor nocturnus , are episodes of apparent intense fear, often associated with crying or screaming, that occur during an arousal from NREM (typically N3) sleep.
Elevated heart and respiratory rates characteristically accompany these events, and the patient may exhibit confusion and disorientation.
They are common in children between 4 and 12 years of age but may persist into the adult years.
Episodes typically end spontaneously after several minutes, but attempts to abruptly awaken the individual may prolong the duration of sleep terrors.
Episodes are often more frequent in the setting of insufficient sleep.
Treatment usually involves reassurance, but pharmacotherapy is sometimes indicated when episodes become frequent or if the risk of injury is high.
Benzodiazepines are often effective for short-term use.
