Comparative clinical study of two hypnotic drugs.

The comparative sleep-inducing and sleep-sustaining effects of glutethimide, 0.5 g., and ethchlorvynol, 0.5 g., were studied in 20 patients hospitalized for a considerable time (average: 21 years; minimum nine years and maximum 32 years) and not receiving psychotropic agents. Assessment of sleep and para-sleep parameters (pre-sleep tension; frequency of awakening at night; post-sleep activity) revealed that patients fell asleep faster (P>.001) and slept for a longer time with ethchlorvynol than with glutethimide.