Clinical management of patients with insomnia. The role of zopiclone.

Insomnia, especially when chronic, is associated with disturbances in daytime well-being and performance, resulting in a poor quality of life for those affected. Zopiclone has been proven as a drug that favourably balances sleep induction and maintenance as well as an improvement in daytime well-being (efficacy) with a low potential for adverse effects (safety) in the symptomatic treatment of insomnia. Management of chronic insomnia with zopiclone needs a multidimensional approach involving the proper diagnosis of possible underlying causes, and combined use of causal treatment, general sleep hygiene measures, basic elements of psychological treatment and adjunctive medication. It is recommended that therapy with the nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic zopiclone should conform to the guidelines for the use of hypnotics, which are valid for all benzodiazepine receptor agonists.