Clinical Effects of Hypnotics

An epidemiologic approach was used to examine the clinical effects of the four most commonly prescribed hypnotic drugs—chloral hydrate, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, secobarbital, and pentobarbital—in three Boston hospitals. This study was carried out within the context of a comprehensive drug surveillance program. Of 4,177 patients studied thus far, 2,045 (49%) were given one or more of the four drugs in the treatment of insomnia. When a judgment could be made, treatment with each of the four drugs was considered satisfactory in 60% to 80% of patients, and the frequencies of patients with adverse reactions varied between 1.8% and 5.1%. Major clinical reactions were infrequent, and all of the adverse reactions were followed by recovery. Among females who received secobarbital and pentobarbital, side effects were significantly associated with low body weight.