搜索
SleepmedicationlinkedtobizarrebehaviourNewevidencehaslinkedacommonlyprescribedsleepmedicationwithbizarrebehaviours，includingacaseinwhichawomanpaintedherfrontdoorinhersleep.UKandAustralianhealthagencieshavereleasedinformationabout240casesofoddoccurrences，includingsleepwalking，amnesiaandhallucinationsamongpeopletakingthedrugzolpidem.Whiledoctorssaythatzolpidemcanoffermuch-neededreliefforpeoplewithsleepdisorders，theycautionthatthesenewlyreportedcasesshouldpromptacloserlookatitspossiblesideeffects.Zolpidem，soldunderthebrandnamesAmbien，StilnoctandStilnox，iswidelyprescribedtotreatinsomniaandotherdisorderssuchassleepapnea.Variousformsofthedrug，madebyFrenchpharmaceuticalgiantSanofi-Aventis，wereprescribed674，500timesin2005intheUK.AnewlypublishedreportfromAustralia’sFederalHealthDepartmentdescribes104casesofhallucinationsand62casesofamnesiaexperiencedbypeopletakingzolpidemsincemarketingofthedrugbegantherein2000.Thehealthdepartmentreportalsomentioned16casesofstrangesleepwalkingbypeopletakingthemedication.MidnightsnackInoneofthesesleepwalkingcasesapatientwokewithapaintbrushinherhandafterpaintingthefrontdoortoherhouse.Anothercaseinvolvedawomanwhogained23kilogramsoversevenmonthswhiletakingzolpidem.“Itwasonlywhenshewasdiscoveredinfrontofanopenrefrigeratorwhileasleepthattheproblemwasresolved，”accordingtothereport.TheUK’sMedicinesandHealthcareproductsRegulatoryAgency，meanwhile，hasrecorded68casesofadversereactionstozolpidemfrom2001to2005.ThenewlyreportedcasesintheUKandAustraliaaddtoagrowinglistofbizarresleepwalkingepisodeslinkedtothedruginothercountries，includingreportsofpeoplesleep-drivingwhileonthemedication.Inonecase，atransatlanticflighthadtobedivertedafterapassengercausedhavocaftertakingzolpidem.HypnoticeffectsThereisnobiologicalpathwaythathasbeenproventoconnectzolpidemwiththesebehaviours.Thedrugisabenzodiazepine-likehypnoticthatpromotesdeepsleepbyinteractingwithbrainreceptorsforachemicalcalledgamma-aminobutyricacid.Whilepartsofthebrainbecomelessactiveduringdeepsleep，thebodycanstillmove，makingsleepwalkingapossibility.Theproductinformationforprescribersadvisesthatpsychiatricadverseeffects，includinghallucinations，sleepwalkingandnightmares，aremorelikelyintheelderly，andtreatmentshouldbestoppediftheyoccur.Patientadvocacygroupssaytheywouldlikegovernmenthealthagenciesanddrugcompaniestotakeacloserlookatthepossiblerisksassociatedwithsleepmedicines.Theystressthatstrangesleepwalkingandsleep-drivingbehaviourscanhaveriskyconsequences.“Whenpeopledosomethinginwhichthey’renotinfullcontrolit’salwaysadanger，”saysVeraSharavoftheNewYork-basedAllianceforHumanResearchProtection，aUSnetworkthatadvocatesresponsibleandethicalmedicalresearchpractices.Triedandtested“Themorereportsthatcomeoutaboutthepotentialsideeffectsofthedrug，themoreresearchneedstobedonetounderstandifthesearerealsideeffects，”sayssleepresearcherKennethWrightattheUniversityofColoradoinBoulder，US.Millionsofpeoplehavetakenthedrugwithoutexperiencinganystrangesideeffects，pointsoutRichardMillmanatBrownMedicalSchool，directoroftheSleepDisordersCenterofLifespanHospitalsinProvidence，RhodeIsland，US.Hesaysthatunlikeoldertypesofsleepmedications，zolpidemdoesnotcarryasgreatariskofaddiction.AndWrightnotesthatsomeofthereportsof“sleep-driving”linkedtozolpidemcanbeeasilyexplained：somepatientshavewronglytakenthedrugrightbeforeleavingworkinhopesthatthemedicinewillkickinbythetimetheyreachhome.Doctorsstressthatthemedicationshouldbetakenjustbeforegoingtobed.TheUSFood&DrugAdministrationsaysitiscontinuingtoactivelyinvestigateandcollectinformationaboutcaseslinkingzolpidemtounusualsideeffects.TheAmbienlabelcurrentlylistsstrangebehaviourasa“specialconcern”forpeopletakingthedrug.“It’sapossiblerareadverseevent，”saysSanofi-AventisspokespersonMelissaFeltmann，addingthatthestrangesleepwalkingbehaviours“maynotnecessarilybecausedbythedrug”butinsteadresultfromanunderlyingdisorder.Shesaysthat“thesafetyprofile[ofzolpidem]iswellestablished”.ThedrugreceivedapprovalintheUSin1993.Questions1-6Dothefollowingstatementsagreewiththeinformationgiveninthereadingpassage？Inboxes1-6onyouranswersheetwriteTRUEifthestatementistrueaccordingtothepassageFALSEifthestatementisfalseaccordingtothepassageNOTGIVENiftheinformationisnotgiveninthepassage1.Ambien，StilnoctandStilnoxarebrandnamesofonesamedrugtreatinginsomnia.2.Thewoman’sobesityproblemwasn’tresolveduntilshestoppedtakingzolpidem.3.ZolpidemreceivedapprovalintheUKin2001.4.ThebizarrebehaviourofapassengeraftertakingzolpidemresultedinthediversionofaflightboundfortheothersideoftheAtlantic.5.Zolpidemistheonlysleepmedicationthatdoesn’tcauseaddiction.6.Thesleep-drivingoccurrenceresultedfromthewronguseofzolpidembyanofficeworker.Question7-9ChoosetheappropriatelettersA-DandWritetheminboxes7-9onyouranswersheet.7.HowmanycasesofbizarrebehavioursaredescribedinanofficialreportfromAustralia？A.68B.104C.182D.2408.WhichofthefollowingisNOTmentionedintheproductinformationaboutzolpidem？A.Treatmentshouldbestoppedifsideeffectsoccur.B.Medicationshouldbetakenjustbeforegoingtobed.C.Adverseeffectsaremorelikelyinthee