Insomnia in the elderly.
Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 1671313.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
Insomnias lead the list of sleep disorders in the elderly. The differential diagnosis includes poor sleep habits, medical and psychiatric disorders, and drug interactions. Effective treatment includes sleep hygiene education and avoidance of substances known to interfere with sleep. In general, anticholinergic agents, antihistamines and long-half-life benzodiazepines should be avoided as hypnotic agents in the elderly. Safer therapeutic options include relaxation therapy and the short-half-life benzodiazepines without active metabolites.