lunesta

Important safety information

CNS Depressant Effects: Impaired alertness and motor coordination, including risk of morning impairment. Risk increases with dose and use with other CNS depressants and alcohol. Caution patients taking 3 mg dose against driving and against activities requiring complete mental alertness during the morning after use. ( 5.2 ) Evaluate for Comorbid Diagnoses: Reevaluate if insomnia persists after 7 to 10 days of use ( 5.3 ) Severe Anaphylactic/Anaphylactoid Reactions (angioedema and anaphylaxis have been reported): Do not rechallenge if such reactions occur ( 5.4 ) Abnormal Thinking and Behavioral Changes: Changes including decreased inhibition, bizarre behavior, agitation and depersonalization have been reported. Immediately evaluate any new onset of behavioral changes ( 5.5 ) Worsening of Depression or Suicidal Thinking may occur: Prescribe the least number of tablets feasible to avoid intentional overdose ( 5.5 , 5.8 ) Withdrawal Effects: Symptoms may occur with rapid dose reduction or discontinuation ( 5.6 , 9.3 ) Elderly Patients: Use lower dose due to impaired motor, cognitive performance and increased sensitivity ( 2.2 , 5.8 ) Patients with Hepatic Impairment, Impaired Respiratory Function, Impaired Drug Metabolism or Hemodynamic Responses: Use with caution ( 5.8 ) 5.1 Complex Sleep Behaviors Complex sleep behaviors including sleep-walking, sleep-driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake may occur following the first or any subsequent use of LUNESTA. Patients can be seriously injured or injure others during complex sleep behaviors. Such injuries may result in a fatal outcome. Other complex sleep behaviors (e.g., preparing and eating food, making phone calls, or having sex) have also been reported. Patients usually do not remember these events. Post-marketing reports have shown that complex sleep behaviors may occur with LUNESTA alone at recommended dosages, with or without the concomitant use of alcohol or other CNS depressants [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )] . Discontinue LUNESTA immediately if a patient experiences a complex sleep behavior. 5.2 CNS Depressant Effects and Next-Day Impairment LUNESTA is a CNS depressant and can impair daytime function in some patients at the higher doses (2 mg or 3 mg), even when used as prescribed. Prescribers should monitor for excess depressant effects, but impairment can occur in the absence of symptoms (or even with subjective improvement), and impairment may not be reliably detected by ordinary clinical exam (i.e., less than formal psychomotor testing). While pharmacodynamic tolerance or adaptation to some adverse depressant effects of LUNESTA may develop, patients using 3 mg LUNESTA should be cautioned against driving or engaging in other hazardous activities or activities requiring complete mental alertness the day after use. Additive effects occur with concomitant use of other CNS depressants (e.g., benzodiazepines, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, alcohol), including daytime use. Downward dose adjustment of LUNESTA and concomitant CNS depressants should be considered [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.4 )]. The use of LUNESTA with other sedative-hypnotics at bedtime or the middle of the night is not recommended. The risk of next-day psychomotor impairment is increased if LUNESTA is taken with less than a full night of sleep remaining (7- to 8 hours); if higher than the recommended dose is taken; if coadministered with other CNS depressants; or coadministered with other drugs that increase the blood levels of eszopiclone [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.3 ) and Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )]. Because Lunesta can cause drowsiness and a decreased level of consciousness, patients, particularly the elderly, are at higher risk of falls. 5.3 Need to Evaluate for Comorbid 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 LUNESTA. Because some of the important adverse effects of LUNESTA appear to be dose related, it is important to use the lowest possible effective dose, especially in the elderly [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.1 )]. 5.4 Severe Anaphylactic and Anaphylactoid Reactions Rare 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 LUNESTA. 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 tongue, glottis or larynx, airway obstruction may occur and be fatal. Patients who develop angioedema after treatment with LUNESTA should not be rechallenged with the drug. 5.5 Abnormal Thinking and Behavioral Changes A variety of abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported to occur in association with the use of sedative/hypnotics. Some of these changes may be characterized by decreased inhibition (e.g., aggressiveness and extroversion that seem out of character), similar to effects produced by alcohol and other CNS depressants. Other reported behavioral changes have included bizarre behavior, agitation, hallucinations, and depersonalization. Amnesia and other neuropsychiatric symptoms may occur unpredictably. 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. 5.6 Withdrawal Effects Following rapid dose decrease or abrupt discontinuation of the use of sedative/hypnotics, there have been reports of signs and symptoms similar to those associated with withdrawal from other CNS-depressant drugs [see Drug Abuse and Dependence ( 9 )] . 5.7 Timing of Drug Administration LUNESTA should be taken immediately before bedtime. Taking a sedative/hypnotic while still up and about may result in short-term memory impairment, hallucinations, impaired coordination, dizziness, and lightheadedness. 5.8 Special Populations Use in Elderly and/or Debilitated Patients Impaired motor and/or cognitive performance after repeated exposure or unusual sensitivity to sedative/hypnotic drugs is a concern in the treatment of elderly and/or debilitated patients. The dose should not exceed 2 mg in elderly or debilitated patients [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.2 )] . Use in Patients with Concomitant Illness Clinical experience with eszopiclone in patients with concomitant illness is limited. Eszopiclone should be used with caution in patients with diseases or conditions that could affect metabolism or hemodynamic responses. A study in healthy volunteers did not reveal respiratory-depressant effects at doses 2.5-fold higher (7 mg) than the recommended dose of eszopiclone. Caution is advised, however, if LUNESTA is prescribed to patients with compromised respiratory function. The dose of LUNESTA should not exceed 2 mg in patients with severe hepatic impairment, because systemic exposure is doubled in such subjects. No dose adjustment appears necessary for subjects with mild or moderate hepatic impairment. No dose adjustment appears necessary in subjects with any degree of renal impairment, since less than 10% of eszopiclone is excreted unchanged in the urine. The dose of…