1. INDICATIONS AND USAGE Zolpidem tartrate tablets, USP are gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) A agonist, are indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep initiation. Zolpidem tartrate tablets, USP have been shown to decrease sleep latency for up to 35 days in controlled clinical studies. ( 1) Zolpidem tartrate tablets, USP are indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep initiation.
Zolpidem tartrate tablets, USP have been shown to decrease sleep latency for up to 35 days in controlled clinical studies [see Clinical Studies (14) ]. The clinical trials performed in support of efficacy were 4-5 weeks in duration with the final formal assessments of sleep latency performed at the end of treatment.
Contraindications
4. CONTRAINDICATIONS Known hypersensitivity to zolpidem (4) Zolpidem tartrate tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to zolpidem. Observed reactions include anaphylaxis and angioedema [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] .
Warnings and precautions
5. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
CNS depressant effects: Impairs alertness and motor coordination. Instruct patients on correct use. (5.1)
Need to evaluate for co-morbid diagnosis: Reevaluate if insomnia persists after 7 to 10 days of use. (5.2)
Severe anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions: Angioedema and anaphylaxis have been reported. Do not rechallenge if such reactions occur. (5.3)
"Sleep-driving" and other complex behaviors while not fully awake. Risk increases with dose and use with other CNS depressants and alcohol. Immediately evaluate any new onset behavioral changes. (5.4)
Depression: Worsening of depression or suicidal thinking may occur. Prescribe the least amount of tablets feasible to avoid intentional overdose. (5.5)
Respiratory Depression: Consider this risk before prescribing in patients with compromised respiratory function (5.6)
Withdrawal effects: Symptoms may occur with rapid dose reduction or discontinuation (5.7, 9.3)
Severe Injuries: Drowsiness may lead to fall including severe injuries (5.8)
5.1CNS Depressant Effects and Next-Day Impairment
Zolpidem tartrate tablets, like other sedative-hypnotic drugs, has central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects. Co-administration with other CNS depressants (e.g., benzodiazepines, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, alcohol) increases the risk of CNS depression. Dosage adjustments of zolpidem tartrate tablets and of other concomitant CNS depressants may be necessary when zolpidem tartrate tablets are administered with such agents because of the potentially additive effects.
The use of zolpidem tartrate tablets with other sedative-hypnotics (including other zolpidem products) at bedtime or the middle of the night is not recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.3)]. The risk of next-day psychomotor impairment, including impaired driving, is increased if zolpidem tartrate tablets are taken with less than a full night of sleep remaining (7 to 8 hours); if a higher than the recommended dose is taken; if co-administered with other CNS depressants; or if co-administered with other drugs that increase the blood levels of zolpidem.
Patients should be cautioned against driving and other activities requiring complete mental alertness if zolpidem tartrate tablets are taken in these circumstances [see Dosage and Administration (2) and Clinical Studies (14.3)].
5.2Need to Evaluate for Co-Morbid Diagnoses
Because sleep disturbances may be the presenting manifestation of a physical and/or psychiatric disorder, symptomatic treatment of insomnia should be initiated only after a careful evaluation of the patient. The failure of insomnia to remit after 7 to 10 days of treatment may indicate the presence of a primary psychiatric and/or medical illness that should be evaluated. Worsening of insomnia or the emergence of new thinking or behavior abnormalities may be the consequence of an unrecognized psychiatric or physical disorder.
Such findings have emerged during the course of treatment with sedative/hypnotic drugs, including zolpidem.
5.3Severe Anaphylactic and Anaphylactoid Reactions Cases
of angioedema involving the tongue, glottis or larynx have been reported in patients after taking the first or subsequent doses of sedative-hypnotics, including zolpidem. Some patients have had additional symptoms such as dyspnea, throat closing or nausea and vomiting that suggest anaphylaxis. Some patients have required medical therapy in the emergency department. If angioedema involves the throat, glottis or larynx, airway obstruction may occur and be fatal.
Patients who develop angioedema after treatment with zolpidem should not be rechallenged with the drug.
5.4Abnormal Thinking and Behavioral Changes
Abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported in patients treated with sedative/hypnotics, including zolpidem. Some of these changes included decreased inhibition (e.g., aggressiveness and extroversion that seemed out of character), bizarre behavior, agitation and depersonalization. Visual and auditory hallucinations have been reported. In controlled trials of zolpidem 10 mg taken at bedtime < 1% of adults with insomnia reported hallucinations.
In a clinical trial, 7% of pediatric patients treated with zolpidem 0.25 mg/kg taken at bedtime reported hallucinations versus 0% treated with placebo [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4)] . Complex behaviors such as "sleep-driving" (i.e., driving while not fully awake after ingestion of a sedative-hypnotic, with amnesia for the event) have been reported in sedative-hypnotic-naive as well as in sedative-hypnotic-experienced persons.
Although behaviors such as "sleep-driving" have occurred with zolpidem alone at therapeutic doses, the co-administration of zolpidem with alcohol and other CNS depressants increases the risk of such behaviors, as does the use of zolpidem at doses exceeding the maximum recommended dose. Due to the risk to the patient and the community, discontinuation of zolpidem should be strongly considered for patients who report a "sleep-driving" episode.
Other complex behaviors (e.g., preparing and eating food, making phone calls, or having sex) have been reported in patients who are not fully awake after taking a sedative-hypnotic. As with "sleep-driving", patients usually do not remember these events. Amnesia, anxiety and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms may also occur. It can rarely be determined with certainty whether a particular instance of the abnormal behaviors listed above is drug induced, spontaneous in origin, or a result of an underlying psychiatric or physical disorder.
Nonetheless, the emergence of any new behavioral sign or symptom of concern requires careful and immediate evaluation.
5.5Use in Patients with Depression
In primarily depressed patients treated with sedative-hypnotics, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts and actions (including completed suicides), have been reported. Suicidal tendencies may be present in such patients and protective measures may be required. Intentional overdosage is more common in this group of patients; therefore, the lowest number of tablets that is feasible should be prescribed for the patient at any one time.
5.6Respiratory Depression
Although studies with 10 mg zolpidem tartrate did not reveal respiratory depressant effects at hypnotic doses in healthy subjects or in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a reduction in the Total Arousal Index, together with a reduction in lowest oxygen saturation and increase in the times of oxygen desaturation below 80% and 90%, was observed in patients with mild-to-moderate sleep apnea when treated with zolpidem compared to placebo.
Since sedative-hypnotics have the capacity to depress respiratory drive, precautions should be taken if zolpidem is prescribed to patients with compromised respiratory function. Post-marketing reports of respiratory insufficiency in patients receiving 10 mg of zolpidem tartrate, most of whom had pre-existing respiratory impairment, have been reported. The risk of respiratory depression should be considered prior to prescribing zolpidem in patients with respiratory impairment including sleep apnea and myasthenia gravis.
5.7Withdrawal Effects
There have been reports of withdrawal signs and symptoms following the rapid dose decrease or abrupt discontinuation of zolpidem. Monitor patients for tolerance, abuse, and dependence [see Drug Abuse and Dependence (9.2) and (9.3)] .
5.8Severe Injuries
Zolpidem can cause drowsiness and a decreased level of consciousness, which may lead to falls and consequently to severe injuries. Severe injuries such as hip fractures and intracranial hemorrhage have been reported.
Interactions
7. DRUG INTERACTIONS
CNS depressants, including alcohol: Possible adverse additive CNS- depressant effects (5.1, 7.1)
Imipramine: Decreased alertness observed (7.1)
Chlorpromazine: Impaired alertness and psychomotor performance observed (7.1)
Rifampin: Combination use may decrease effects (7.2)
Ketoconazole: Combination use may increase effect (7.2)
7.1CNS-active Drugs Co-administration
of zolpidem with other CNS depressants increases the risk of CNS depression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. Zolpidem tartrate was evaluated in healthy volunteers in single-dose interaction studies for several CNS drugs. Imipramine, Chlorpromazine Imipramine in combination with zolpidem produced no pharmacokinetic interaction other than a 20% decrease in peak levels of imipramine, but there was an additive effect of decreased alertness.
Similarly, chlorpromazine in combination with zolpidem produced no pharmacokinetic interaction, but there was an additive effect of decreased alertness and psychomotor performance [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . Haloperidol A study involving haloperidol and zolpidem revealed no effect of haloperidol on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of zolpidem. The lack of a drug interaction following single-dose administration does not predict the absence of an effect following chronic administration [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .
Alcohol An additive adverse effect on psychomotor performance between alcohol and oral zolpidem was demonstrated [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] . Sertraline Concomitant administration of zolpidem and sertraline increases exposure to zolpidem [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . Fluoxetine After multiple doses of zolpidem tartrate and fluoxetine an increase in the zolpidem half-life (17%) was observed. There was no evidence of an additive effect in psychomotor performance [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .
7.2 Drugs that Affect Drug Metabolism via Cytochrome P450 Some compounds known to inhibit CYP3A may increase exposure to zolpidem. The effect of drugs on other P450 enzymes on the exposure to zolpidem is not known. Rifampin Rifampin, a CYP3A4 inducer, significantly reduced the exposure to and the pharmacodynamic effects of zolpidem. Use of Rifampin in combination with zolpidem may decrease the efficacy of zolpidem. Ketoconazole Ketoconazole, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, increased the pharmacodynamic effects of zolpidem.
Consideration should be given to using a lower dose of zolpidem when ketoconazole and zolpidem are given together.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
8.1Pregnancy Pregnancy Category C
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of zolpidem tartrate tablets in pregnant women. Studies in children to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to zolpidem have not been conducted; however, cases of severe neonatal respiratory depression have been reported when zolpidem was used at the end of pregnancy, especially when taken with other CNS-depressants. Children born to mothers taking sedative-hypnotic drugs may be at risk for withdrawal symptoms during the postnatal period.
Neonatal flaccidity has also been reported in infants born to mothers who received sedative-hypnotic drugs during pregnancy. Zolpidem should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. Administration of zolpidem to pregnant rats and rabbits resulted in adverse effects on offspring development at doses greater than the zolpidem tartrate tablets maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 10 mg/day (approximately 8 mg/day zolpidem base); however, teratogenicity was not observed.
When zolpidem was administered at oral doses of 4, 20, and 100 mg base/kg/day to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis, dose-related decreases in fetal skull ossification occurred at all but the lowest dose, which is approximately 5 times the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis. In rabbits treated during organogenesis with zolpidem at oral doses of 1, 4, and 16 mg base/kg/ day increased embryo-fetal death and incomplete fetal skeletal ossification occurred at the highest dose tested.
The no-effect dose for embryo-fetal toxicity in rabbits is approximately 10 times the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis. Administration of zolpidem to rats at oral doses of 4, 20, and 100 mg base/kg/day during the latter part of pregnancy and throughout lactation produced decreased offspring growth and survival at all but the lowest dose, which is approximately 5 times the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis.
Adverse reactions
6. ADVERSE REACTIONS Most commonly observed adverse reactions were: Short-term (< 10 nights): Drowsiness, dizziness, and diarrhea Long-term (28 - 35 nights): Dizziness and drugged feelings ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Torrent Pharma Inc. at 1-269-544-2299 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. The following serious reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling:
CNS-depressant effects and next-day impairment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]
Serious anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]
Abnormal thinking and behavior changes, and complex behaviors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]
Withdrawal effects [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]
6.1Clinical Trials Experience Associated
with discontinuation of treatment: Approximately 4% of 1,701 patients who received zolpidem at all doses (1.25 to 90 mg) in U.S. premarketing clinical trials discontinued treatment because of an adverse reaction. Reactions most commonly associated with discontinuation from U.S. trials were daytime drowsiness (0.5%), dizziness (0.4%), headache (0.5%), nausea (0.6%), and vomiting (0.5%). Approximately 4% of 1,959 patients who received zolpidem at all doses (1 to 50 mg) in similar foreign trials discontinued treatment because of an adverse reaction.
Reactions most commonly associated with discontinuation from these trials were daytime drowsiness (1.1%), dizziness/vertigo (0.8%), amnesia (0.5%), nausea (0.5%), headache (0.4%), and falls (0.4%). Data from a clinical study in which selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-treated patients were given zolpidem revealed that four of the seven discontinuations during double-blind treatment with zolpidem (n=95) were associated with impaired concentration, continuing or aggravated depression, and manic reaction; one patient treated with placebo (n=97) was discontinued after an attempted suicide.
Most commonly observed adverse reactions in controlled trials: During short-term treatment (up to 10 nights) with zolpidem tartrate tablets at doses up to 10 mg, the most commonly observed adverse reactions associated with the use of zolpidem and seen at statistically significant differences from placebo-treated patients were drowsiness (reported by 2% of zolpidem patients), dizziness (1%), and diarrhea (1%). During longer-term treatment (28 to 35 nights) with zolpidem at doses up to 10 mg, the most commonly observed adverse reactions associated with the use of zolpidem and seen at statistically significant differences from placebo-treated patients were dizziness (5%) and drugged feelings (3%).
Adverse reactions observed at an incidence of ≥ 1% in controlled trials: The following tables enumerate treatment-emergent adverse reactions frequencies that were observed at an incidence equal to 1% or greater among patients with insomnia who received zolpidem tartrate and at a greater incidence than placebo in U.S. placebo-controlled trials. Events reported by investigators were classified utilizing a modified World Health Organization (WHO) dictionary of preferred terms for the purpose of establishing event frequencies.
The prescriber should be aware that these figures cannot be used to predict the incidence of side effects in the course of usual medical practice, in which patient characteristics and other factors differ from those that prevailed in these clinical trials. Similarly, the cited frequencies cannot be compared with figures obtained from other clinical investigators involving related drug products and uses, since each group of drug trials is conducted under a different set of conditions.
However, the cited figures provide the physician with a basis for estimating the relative contribution of drug and nondrug factors to the incidence of side effects in the population studied. The following table was derived from results of 11 placebo-controlled short-term U.S. efficacy trials involving zolpidem in doses ranging from 1.25 to 20 mg. The table is limited to data from doses up to and including 10 mg, the highest dose recommended for use.
Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Experiences in Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials Lasting up to 10 Nights (Percentage of patients reporting) Zolpidem Body System/ (≤10 mg) Placebo Adverse Event Reactions reported by at least 1% of patients treated with zolpidem tartrate tablets and at a greater frequency than placebo. (N=685) (N=473) Central and Peripheral Nervous System Headache 7 6 Drowsiness 2 - Dizziness 1 - Gastrointestinal System Diarrhea 1 - The following table was derived from results of three placebo-controlled long-term efficacy trials involving zolpidem tartrate tablets.
These trials involved patients with chronic insomnia who were treated for 28 to 35 nights with zolpidem at doses of 5, 10, or 15 mg. The table is limited to data from doses up to and including 10 mg, the highest dose recommended for use. The table includes only adverse events occurring at an incidence of at least 1% for zolpidem patients. Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Experiences in Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials Lasting up to 35 Nights (Percentage of patients reporting) Zolpidem Body System/ (≤10 mg) Placebo Adverse Event Reactions reported by at least 1% of patients treated with zolpidem tartrate tablets and at a greater frequency than placebo.
(N=152) (N=161) Autonomic Nervous System Dry mouth 3 1 Body as a Whole Allergy 4 1 Back Pain 3 2 Influenza-like symptoms 2 - Chest pain 1 - Cardiovascular System Palpitation 2 - Central and Peripheral Nervous System Drowsiness 8 5 Dizziness 5 1 Lethargy 3 1 Drugged feeling 3 - Lightheadedness 2 1 Depression 2 1 Abnormal dreams 1 - Amnesia 1 - Sleep disorder 1 - Gastrointestinal System Diarrhea 3 2 Abdominal pain 2 2 Constipation 2 1 Respiratory System Sinusitis 4 2 Pharyngitis 3 1 Skin and Appendages Rash 2 1 Dose relationship for adverse reactions: There is evidence from dose comparison trials suggesting a dose relationship for many of the adverse reactions associated with zolpidem use, particularly for certain CNS and gastrointestinal adverse events.
Adverse event incidence across the entire preapproval database: Zolpidem tartrate tablets were administered to 3,660 subjects in clinical trials throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Treatment-emergent adverse events associated with clinical trial participation were recorded by clinical investigators using terminology of their own choosing. To provide a meaningful estimate of the proportion of individuals experiencing treatment-emergent adverse events, similar types of untoward events were grouped into a smaller number of standardized event categories and classified utilizing a modified World Health Organization (WHO) dictionary of preferred terms.
The frequencies presented, therefore, represent the proportions of the 3,660 individuals exposed to zolpidem, at all doses, who experienced an event of the type cited on at least one occasion while receiving zolpidem. All reported treatment-emergent adverse events are included, except those already listed in the table above of adverse events in placebo-controlled studies, those coding terms that are so general as to be uninformative, and those events where a drug cause was remote.
It is important to emphasize that, although the events reported did occur during treatment with zolpidem tartrate tablets, they were not necessarily caused by it. Adverse events are further classified within body system categories and enumerated in order of decreasing frequency using the following definitions: frequent adverse events are defined as those occurring in greater than 1/100 subjects; infrequent adverse events are those occurring in 1/100 to 1/1,000 patients; rare events are those occurring in less than 1/1,000 patients.
Prognia shows this product information for reference and learning. It is not treatment advice and can lag behind the official text. Always check the current product information and local protocols before prescribing.
