Effect of Flurazepam on Sleep in the Laboratory

Abstract

A new hypnotic drug, flurazepam, was given to six healthy young men in a blind trial involving sleep on four consecutive nights in the laboratory. Continuous recordings of the electro-encephalogram, electro-oculogram and electrical resistance of palmar skin made throughout the night enabled sleep to be analyzed objectively in terms of the usual stages. Sleep on the third night, when flurazepam 15 mg was taken, was compared with that on the second and fourth nights, when a placebo was taken. Flurazepam permitted sleep which was objectively better and subjectively as good as the best sleep without the drug. There was no inhibition either of REM-sleep or of δ-wave sleep as occurs with many other hypnotics.

A repeated dose comparison of three benzodiazepine derivatives (nitrazepam, flurazepam and flunitrazepam) on subjective appraisals of sleep and measures of psychomotor performance the morning following night‐time medication

“…nitrazepam, flunitrazepam and flurazepam; have all been shown to possess sedativehypnotic properties. There has been extensive clinical and laboratory experience with both nitrazepam and flurazepam and the action of these drugs on sleep and subsequent psychomotor performance has been well documented (Malpas et al (1970), Kales & Scharf (1973), Johns & Masterton (1974), Greenblatt et al (1975). Flunitrazepam is a newer derivative but preliminary research and clinical findings show it to possess both sleep-inducing and sleep-maintaining properties (Gaillard el al.…”