An update on zolpidem abuse and dependence
Abstract
In 2004, the health authorities (French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety-ANSM) modified the summary of zolpidem characteristics. Particularly it now includes the sentence "a pharmacodependence may materialize." The current article aims to show that despite this modification, zolpidem continues to be associated with problematic drug use, as the official system (Center for Evaluation and Information on Pharmacodependence-Addictovigilance network) providing information on the abuse and dependence potential of drugs informs us. The authors reviewed the literature on this topic and analyzed French data from zolpidem's postmarketing period that were collected by the Addictovigilance network from 2003 to 2010. Postmarketing data and the 30 case reports yielded from the literature review highlight a significant dependence and abuse potential for zolpidem. This survey led to propose in stronger additional rules in France to try to mitigate the abuse potential of zolpidem.
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Brazil and other countries have seen a significant surge in zolpidem misuse, particularly among individuals using the sublingual formulation.
“Brazil and other countries have seen a significant surge in zolpidem misuse, particularly among individuals using the sublingual formulation. 93”
From Z-drug abuse and dependence: Clinical guideline of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology for diagnosis and management (2025) · cites this paper as [93]
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“93 Despite this growing concern, there is a scarcity of clinical trials and studies exploring therapeutic strategies to manage zolpidem dependence in adults and older populations.”
- Authors
- Victorri-Vigneau, C., Gérardin, M., Rousselet, M., Guerlais, M., Grall-Bronnec, M., & Jolliet, P.
- Affiliations
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes (FR)
- Venue
- Journal of Addictive Diseases
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2014-01
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 15-23
- ISSN
- 1055-0887 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-0848
- OpenAlex
- W2041130859
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 7
- FWCI
- 4.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Addictive Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions
- Keywords
- zolpidem, drug addiction, drug abuse, hypnotic misuse, pharmacodependence, post-marketing surveillance, regulatory risk assessment, benzodiazepine-like drugs, France
- MeSH terms
- Zolpidem, Adult, Aged, Female, France, Humans, Hypnotics and Sedatives, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Male, Middle Aged, Product Surveillance, Postmarketing, Pyridines, Mandatory Reporting, Substance-Related Disorders, Young Adult, Prescription Drug Misuse, Prescription Drug Diversion
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