Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • ERJ Early View
  • Past issues
  • For authors
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Author FAQs
    • Open access
    • COVID-19 submission information
  • Alerts
  • Podcasts
  • Subscriptions
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

User menu

  • Log in
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

Login

European Respiratory Society

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • ERJ Early View
  • Past issues
  • For authors
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Author FAQs
    • Open access
    • COVID-19 submission information
  • Alerts
  • Podcasts
  • Subscriptions

Nitrazepam in patients with sleep apnoea: a double-blind placebo-controlled study

U Hoijer, J Hedner, H Ejnell, R Grunstein, E Odelberg, M Elam
European Respiratory Journal 1994 7: 2011-2015; DOI:
U Hoijer
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
J Hedner
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
H Ejnell
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
R Grunstein
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
E Odelberg
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
M Elam
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

We wanted to assess whether benzodiazepines worsen sleep apnoea, since their use in such patients has been controversial. Fourteen male patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea were investigated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study evaluating the influence of nitrazepam (NIT) on apnoea frequency and severity. Each patient was given oral nitrazepam 5 or 10 mg, or corresponding placebo, in a randomized order on three separate nights. Wash-out time was one week. A complete sleep study was undertaken at each study night. Eleven patients completed the study. Although there were individuals with marked variability in apnoea index between the three study nights, there was no significant change in apnoea index or minimum arterial oxygen saturation with any of the two nitrazepam dosages studied. Only 3 out of 11 patients had a higher apnoea index after both nitrazepam doses compared to placebo, and in these patients the increase in sleep-disordered breathing was of marginal clinical significance. Nitrazepam caused a modest increase in total sleep time and a decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. These results demonstrate that nitrazepam does not worsen sleep apnoea in patients with mild to moderate sleep apnoea. The previously reported sleep apnoea promoting effects of benzodiazepines may be restricted to a small subgroup of patients with sleep-disordered breathing.

PreviousNext
Back to top
Vol 7 Issue 11 Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on European Respiratory Society .

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Nitrazepam in patients with sleep apnoea: a double-blind placebo-controlled study
(Your Name) has sent you a message from European Respiratory Society
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the European Respiratory Society web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Citation Tools
Nitrazepam in patients with sleep apnoea: a double-blind placebo-controlled study
U Hoijer, J Hedner, H Ejnell, R Grunstein, E Odelberg, M Elam
European Respiratory Journal Nov 1994, 7 (11) 2011-2015;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Nitrazepam in patients with sleep apnoea: a double-blind placebo-controlled study
U Hoijer, J Hedner, H Ejnell, R Grunstein, E Odelberg, M Elam
European Respiratory Journal Nov 1994, 7 (11) 2011-2015;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Connotea logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Full Text (PDF)

Jump To

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

More in this TOC Section

  • Inhaled isotonic alkaline versus saline solution and radioaerosol clearance in chronic cough
  • Lung volume reduction surgery versus conservative treatment in severe emphysema
  • Effects of mandibular advancement on respiratory resistance
Show more Clinical Trial

Related Articles

Navigate

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • Archive

About the ERJ

  • Journal information
  • Editorial board
  • Reviewers
  • CME
  • Press
  • Permissions and reprints
  • Advertising

The European Respiratory Society

  • Society home
  • myERS
  • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility

ERS publications

  • European Respiratory Journal
  • ERJ Open Research
  • European Respiratory Review
  • Breathe
  • ERS books online
  • ERS Bookshop

Help

  • Feedback

For authors

  • Instructions for authors
  • Submit a manuscript
  • ERS author centre

For readers

  • Alerts
  • Subjects
  • Podcasts
  • RSS

Subscriptions

  • Accessing the ERS publications

Contact us

European Respiratory Society
442 Glossop Road
Sheffield S10 2PX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 114 2672860
Email: journals@ersnet.org

ISSN

Print ISSN:  0903-1936
Online ISSN: 1399-3003

Copyright © 2021 by the European Respiratory Society