Insomnia - newer hypnotic drugs - NICE TAG TA77

1.1 When, after due consideration of the use of nonpharmacological measures, hypnotic drug therapy is considered appropriate for the management of severe insomnia interfering with normal daily life, it is recommended that hypnotics should be prescribed for short periods of time only, in strict accordance with their licensed indications.

1.2 It is recommended that, because of the lack of compelling evidence to distinguish between zaleplon, zolpidem, zopiclone or the shorter-acting benzodiazepine hypnotics, the drug with the lowest purchase cost (taking into account daily required dose and product price per dose) should be prescribed.

1.3 It is recommended that switching from one of these hypnotics to another should only occur if a patient experiences adverse effects considered to be directly related to a specific agent. These are the only circumstances in which the drugs with the higher acquisition costs are recommended.

1.4 Patients who have not responded to one of these hypnotic drugs should not be prescribed any of the others.

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/TA77

If considering benzodiazepines, please see the prescribing guidelines for Benzodiazepines in Adults