Description
Zopiclone
Zopiclone is a prescription hypnotic medicine used for short-term treatment of insomnia. The verified product name identifies a 7.5 mg tablet formulation containing zopiclone as the active ingredient.
Active Ingredient and Medicine Class
The active ingredient is zopiclone. It belongs to the class of hypnotics and sedatives, and is described as a benzodiazepine-related drug in the cyclopyrrolone group.
Established Medical Uses
Official product information supports short-term treatment of insomnia in adults, including difficulty falling asleep, night waking, and early waking. It is intended for situations where insomnia is debilitating or causes severe distress, and long-term continuous use is not recommended.
How It Works
Zopiclone acts on the central nervous system by enhancing the effect of the GABA receptor complex, which helps promote sleep. Product information states that it can help initiate and maintain sleep, with relatively limited residual effect the following morning.
Important Safety Information
Zopiclone should be used with caution because it can cause dependence, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and complex sleep behaviours. It should not be combined with other central nervous system depressants without careful medical assessment, and alcohol can increase its sedative effects. Important interactions are reported with CYP3A4 inhibitors such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, and ritonavir, which may increase zopiclone exposure. Caution is also advised in people with hepatic impairment, respiratory insufficiency, renal impairment, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.
Possible Side Effects
Common adverse effects include a bitter taste and dry mouth. Other reported effects include drowsiness, impaired alertness, confusion, agitation, nightmares, and dizziness. More serious reactions can include hallucinations, abnormal behaviour, anaphylactic reactions, angioedema, dependence, withdrawal syndrome, and complex sleep behaviours such as sleepwalking.
Scientific Evidence
Published clinical reviews and systematic review evidence indexed in PubMed indicate that zopiclone can improve sleep latency, nocturnal awakenings, wake time after sleep onset, and total sleep time in people with insomnia. The evidence also notes tolerability concerns, including the need to balance short-term benefit against dependence-related and next-day impairment risks.
Medical Information Notice
This summary is for educational purposes only and is based on sources available at the time of review. It does not replace the official patient leaflet or individual assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Medical Sources
- Medicines.org.uk (emc): Zopiclone 7.5mg film-coated tablets — Summary of Product Characteristics
- O. Nobrega et al.: Zopiclone to treat insomnia in older adults: A systematic review. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 2021.
