Uses and side effects of Nitrest

Nitrest is an Indian brand of generic medication called Zolpidem Tartrate. It’s common brand name is Ambien. It is classified as a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic. It is a prescription only medication used to induce sleep or as a temporary treatment for insomnia. However, it has addictive and abuse potential.

Nitrest10mg tablets

Uses of Nitrest

Nitrest helps to induce sleep. You will usually get sleepy usually within 15 minutes of taking Nitrest. Its effects usually lasts for six to seven hours. But some people can get hangovers in the next day.

In addition, it does not change the sleep architecture (Amount of REM and NREM sleep). Therefore, unlike benzodiazepine hypnotics (Valium) you will feel refreshed after the sleep. Due to its sleep inducing properties some people abuse it. In fact Zolpidem (Nitrest) abuse is a recognized phenomenon. 

Another brand of Zolpidem is Zolfresh.

Nitrest is used to help sleep

What are other side effects associated with Nitrest?

This medication can cause diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, headache, hallucinations, agitation, memory problems, nightmares, depression, confusion and problems in walking such as unsteady gait.

Sleep walking is also reported rarely.

However, above side effects are not common and most people tolerate this medication quite well.

Problems associated with Nitrest

This medication should be used only for short term relief of insomnia. It is not recommended to use it for long term. It is not recommended to use it for more than four weeks. It is because long term insomnia would be due to underlying medical or psychiatric condition that need treatment. In addition, due to addictive potential long term use can cause problems.

Nitrest should be used cautiously in depression, psychosis and in patients with history of alcohol and other substance use.

This medication should not be used by patients with myasthenia gravis.

Sometimes drowsiness may persist into next day. This will cause problems with driving and operating machinery.

Inform your doctor whether you have following conditions,

1. Clinical depression or Bipolar disorder
2. Liver and kidney problems
3. Myasthenia gravis
4. Breathing difficulties

Driving can be dangerous if you took Nitrest last night

Nitrest should not be used by people with obstructive sleep apnea. It is common among people who snores at night. Snoring is caused by obstruction in respiratory tract that occurs in deep sleep. Due to this obstruction frequent nighttime awakenings occur and it can be misidentified as insomnia. In addition, taking this class of medications (hypnotics) by such people can cause severe obstruction and in some occasions brain damage.

In addition, this medications should not be used in patients with end stage renal and hepatic disease.

Use in pregnancy can cause problems in muscle tone, delayed crying and reduced body temperature in newborn baby.

Summary

Nitrest is a medication prescribed for short term relief of insomnia. It acts quickly and effects goes off quickly as well. However, it have addictive potential and can cause problems with driving and operating machinery. 

You can get more information about this medication from Medline online medical library