Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2018 May;16(2):184-189. 10.9758/cpn.2018.16.2.184.

Assessment of Switching to Suvorexant versus the Use of Add-on Suvorexant in Combination with Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists in Insomnia Patients: A Retrospective Study

• Hatano M
• Kamei H
• Inagaki R
• Matsuzaki
• Hanya M
• Yamada S
• Iwata N

• KMID: 2412387
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2018.16.2.184

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Suvorexant is a novel hypnotic drug that does not interact with the conventional γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A receptor. We investigated the method by which suvorexant was introduced in insomnia patients who were taking benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BzRA).
METHODS
This was a retrospective study. We extracted clinical data for patients who were prescribed suvorexant and were already using BzRA. The patients were assigned to two groups, the switching and add-on groups. We assessed the suvorexant discontinuation rate at one month after the prescription of the drug.
RESULTS
One hundred and nineteen patients were assigned to the switching group, and 109 were assigned to the add-on group. The add-on group exhibited a significantly higher all-cause discontinuation rate than the switching group (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 5.0; adjusted p < 0.001). Intolerability was a significantly stronger risk factor for suvorexant discontinuation in the add-on group (22.0% vs. 7.6%, p < 0.002), and the most common adverse effect was oversedation.
CONCLUSION
Our results show that the add-on of suvorexant increases the frequency of oversedation compared with switching in insomnia patients that are taking BzRA. However, this was only a preliminary retrospective study, and further studies will be required to confirm our findings.

Keyword

Suvorexant; Orexin receptor antagonists; Benzodiazepines; Insomnia; Adverse effects

MeSH Terms

Benzodiazepines*
Humans
Methods
Orexin Receptor Antagonists
Prescriptions
Receptors, GABA-A*
Retrospective Studies*
Risk Factors
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*
Benzodiazepines
Orexin Receptor Antagonists
Receptors, GABA-A