Aspects of short-term use of two benzodiazepine hypnotics in the elderly.

There are frequent reports of impairment of psychomotor performance on the morning after taking hypnotics. Possible ways of avoiding these problems include a reduction of the dose or using a hypnotic with a short half-life. This study used nitrazepam 2.5 mg and triazolam 0.125 mg in a group of hospitalized elderly patients. Both drugs were effective hypnotic agents but they are different in their residual effects. Patients reported difficulty in waking after nitrazepam but not after triazolam. These difficulties were confirmed by nurse observation. Nitrazepam significantly impairs (after repeated doses) psychomotor performance after five days therapy and this effect was not seen after triazolam. If a benzodiazepine hypnotic is used in the elderly, a drug with a short elimination half-life is an advantage.