Acute insomnia: experience of treatment with doxylamine

Abstract

Insomnia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty initiating and/or maintaining sleep. According to most epidemiological studies, about a third of adults (30–36%) report at least one symptom of insomnia, such as having difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep. Insomnia interferes with the full-fledged social and professional functioning of patients, forcing them to visit doctors more often, take sick leave. While therapeutic approaches are actively developed and discussed in chronic insomnia, acute insomnia due to the transient state and the tendency (in some cases) to spontaneous resolution often remains the subject of underdiagnosis and undrtreatment. Antihistamines that are non-addictive and have a narrower side-effect profile and are nonprescription drugs are an alternative in the pharmacological treatment of insomnia, especially secondary and transient insomnia, which is widespread in the population. Donormil (doxylamine succinate) is a blocker of H1-histamine receptors from the ethanolamine group. Donormil (doxylamine succinate) is a blocker of H1-histamine receptors from the ethanolamine group. Doxylamine is successfully used in both psychiatric and general medical practice, including dermatology, allergology, and gynecology.This article presents the clinical observation of a patient with acute insomnia arising in adjustment disorder and was accompanied by anxiety and mild conversion symptoms.. Donormil therapy during two weeks allowed to reduce acute insomnia: the time to fall asleep and the number of night awakenings decreased, cognitive impairment, distraction, and asthenia associated with insomnia reduced. No significant side effects were observed.