Edluar (zolpidem tartrate) for Insomnia: Side Effects & Warnings

What is Edluar (zolpidem tartrate), and what is it used for?

Edluar is a sedative-hypnotic (sleep) medicine. Edluar is used in adults for the short-term treatment of a sleep problem called insomnia (trouble falling asleep).

It is not known if Edluar is safe and effective in children under the age of 18 years.

Edluar is a class four (C-IV) federally controlled substance because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Edluar in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Edluar may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your doctor if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.

What are the side effects of Edluar?

Edluar may cause serious side effects, including:

getting out of bed while not being fully awake and doing an activity that you do not know you are doing.
abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or actions.
memory loss
anxiety
severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing. Get emergency medical help if you get these symptoms after taking Edluar.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the above side effects or any other side effects that worry you while using Edluar.

The most common side effects of Edluar are:

drowsiness
dizziness
diarrhea
grogginess or feeling as if you have been drugged
fatigue
headache

You may still feel drowsy the next day after taking Edluar.

After you stop taking a sleep medicine, you may have symptoms for 1 to 2 days such as:

trouble sleeping
nausea
flushing
lightheadedness
uncontrolled crying
vomiting
stomach cramps
panic attack
nervousness
stomach area pain

These are not all the side effects of Edluar. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Is Edluar addictive?

Drug Abuse And Dependence

Controlled Substance

Edluar contains the same active substance, zolpidem tartrate, as zolpidem tartrate oral tablets and is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance by federal regulation.

Abuse

Abuse and addiction are separate and distinct from physical dependence and tolerance. Abuse is characterized by misuse of the drug for non-medical purposes, often in combination with other psychoactive substances. Tolerance is a state of adaptation in which exposure to a drug induces changes that result in a diminution of one or more of the drug effects over time. Tolerance may occur to both desired and undesired effects of drugs and may develop at different rates for different effects.
Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving. Drug addiction is a treatable disease, using a multidisciplinary approach, but relapse is common.
Studies of abuse potential in former drug abusers found that the effects of single doses of zolpidem tartrate 40 mg were similar, but not identical, to diazepam 20 mg, while zolpidem tartrate 10 mg was difficult to distinguish from placebo.
Because persons with a history of addiction to or abuse of, drugs or alcohol are at increased risk for misuse, abuse, and addiction of Edluar, they should be monitored carefully when receiving Edluar or any other hypnotic.

Dependence

Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist.
Sedative/hypnotics have produced withdrawal signs and symptoms following abrupt discontinuation. These reported symptoms range from mild dysphoria and insomnia to a withdrawal syndrome that may include abdominal and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, tremors, and convulsions.
The following adverse events which are considered to meet the DSM-III-R criteria for uncomplicated sedative/hypnotic withdrawal were reported during U.S. clinical trials following placebo substitution occurring within 48 hours following last zolpidem tartrate treatment: fatigue, nausea, flushing, lightheadedness, uncontrolled crying, emesis, stomach cramps, panic attack, nervousness, and abdominal discomfort. These reported adverse events occurred at an incidence of 1% or less. However, available data cannot provide a reliable estimate of the incidence, if any, of dependence during treatment at recommended doses. Post-marketing reports of abuse, dependence and withdrawal have been received.

What is the dosage for Edluar?

Dosage In Adults

Use the lowest effective dose for the patient. The recommended initial dose is 5 mg for women and either 5 or 10 mg for men, taken only once per night immediately before bedtime with at least 7-8 hours remaining before the planned time of awakening. If the 5 mg dose is not effective, the dose can be increased to 10 mg. In some patients, the higher morning blood levels following use of the 10 mg dose increase the risk of next day impairment of driving and other activities that require full alertness. The total dose of Edluar should not exceed 10 mg once daily immediately before bedtime.
The recommended initial doses for women and men are different because zolpidem clearance is lower in women.

Special Populations

Elderly or debilitated patients may be especially sensitive to the effects of zolpidem tartrate. Patients with hepatic insufficiency do not clear the drug as rapidly as normal subjects. The recommended dose of Edluar in both of these patient populations is 5 mg once daily immediately before bedtime.

Use With CNS Depressants

Dosage adjustment may be necessary when Edluar is combined with other CNS-depressant drugs because of the potentially additive effects.

Administration

The effect of Edluar may be slowed by ingestion with or immediately after a meal.
Edluar sublingual tablet should be placed under the tongue, where it will disintegrate. The tablet should not be swallowed and the tablet should not be taken with water.

What drugs interact with Edluar?

CNS-active Drugs

CNS Depressants

Co-administration of zolpidem with other CNS depressants increases the risk of CNS depression. Zolpidem tartrate was evaluated in healthy volunteers in single-dose interaction studies for several CNS drugs.

Imipramine, Chlorpromazine

Imipramine in combination with zolpidem produced no pharmacokinetic interaction other than a 20% decrease in peak levels of imipramine, but there was an additive effect of decreased alertness. Similarly, chlorpromazine in combination with zolpidem produced no pharmacokinetic interaction, but there was an additive effect of decreased alertness and psychomotor performance.

Haloperidol

A study involving haloperidol and zolpidem revealed no effect of haloperidol on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of zolpidem. The lack of a drug interaction following single-dose administration does not predict the absence of an effect following chronic administration.

Alcohol

An additive adverse effect on psychomotor performance between alcohol and oral zolpidem was demonstrated.

Sertraline

Concomitant administration of zolpidem and sertraline increases exposure to zolpidem and may increase the pharmacodynamics effect of zolpidem.

Fluoxetine

After multiple doses of zolpidem tartrate and fluoxetine an increase in the zolpidem half-life (17%) was observed. There was no evidence of an additive effect in psychomotor performance.

Drugs That Affect Drug Metabolism Via Cytochrome P450

Some compounds known to inhibit CYP3A may increase exposure to zolpidem. The effect of other P450 enzymes on the exposure to zolpidem is not known.

Rifampin

Rifampin, a CYP3A4 inducer, significantly reduced the exposure to and the pharmacodynamics effects of zolpidem. Use of Rifampin in combination with zolpidem may decrease the efficacy of zolpidem.

Ketoconazole

Ketoconazole, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, increased the pharmacodynamics effects of zolpidem. Consideration should be given to using a lower dose of zolpidem when ketoconazole and zolpidem are given together.

Edluar contraindications, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety

Pediatric Use

Edluar is not recommended for use in children. Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established in pediatric patients below the age of 18.

Pregnancy

Neonates born to mothers using zolpidem late in the third trimester of pregnancy have been reported to experience symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation.

Breastfeeding

Limited data from published literature reports the presence of zolpidem in human milk. There are reports of excess sedation in infants exposed to zolpidem through breastmilk. There is no information on the effects of zolpidem on milk production. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for Edluar and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Edluar or from the underlying maternal condition.