A review of the safety profiles of benzodiazepine hypnotics.

Although over 20 years of clinical experience with benzodiazepine hypnotics have demonstrated their relative safety, flurazepam, temazepam, triazolam, and quazepam do not have identical safety profiles. Dose-related central nervous system (CNS) depression such as daytime sedation and psychomotor impairment may be expected because they are an extension of the therapeutic action of these agents. Therefore, drug dose is an important factor in determining the expected frequency and severity of these side effects. Also, it is important for a clinician not to assume that these unwanted CNS effects relate only to the length of a drug's half-life. Half-life does appear to be an important determinant of the presence or absence of rebound insomnia.