Bellevue Health Clinic

Posts Tagged ‘Ambien’

When searching for ways to resolve sleep problems, you are very likely to end up with a selection of effective drugs that come in different forms. Some drugs are more popular than others, some are preferred by doctors when prescribing medications for insomnia while others are simply over-the-counter medications. However, even when comparing pretty similar medications for sleep disorders, many observe that there are different ways of administration for each drug. And fact is that the form in which the medication enters your body makes a difference when addressing sleeping problems.

Typically there are two forms in which all sleeping aids are available: normal pills and extended release tablets. And in order to understand which form to use, you have to learn more about both the normal and extended release forms so that you could grasp the difference between them.

Both forms of sleeping aids are aimed at treating a range of sleep disorders, and both have different side effects that can take place when using each form of medication. Most sleeping aids work as muscle relaxants, helping both the body and the nervous system to calm down, which is rather hard when trying to cope with a sleeping problem.

Still, regular pills are known to have more common side effects as compared to the extended release form. Regular pills usually release the active element of the medication instantly upon its arrival to the stomach. The increased amount of active ingredients may cause side effects more often. Besides, the concentration of these ingredients usually wears off with time, which can influence the effectiveness of the drug at later stages of sleep.

Extended release tablets have a special coating that assures consistent release of the active ingredients over a longer period of time, which can be very beneficial for deep sleep stages. Clinical studies have confirmed that extended release tablets are more effective in treating sleep disorders connected to these phases than regular pills. Moreover, due to the fact that extended release tablets regulate the amount of active elements dissolved into the body, it’s less likely to experience any side effects with this form of medication.

So, when you compare such drugs as Ambien and Ambien CR, for example, it is quite obvious which drug is more preferential for treating serious sleeping problems. While having the same composition and effectiveness, Ambien CR has lower risk of delivering any negative side effects and is more effective in dealing with problems in the deeper stages of sleep, which occur 4-5 hours after going to sleep.

Still, it is up to your doctor to decide which form of sleep aids is more suitable for you. If you have any sleeping problems you should first consult with your doctor and purchase the drug he or she has prescribed you with. Do not take any prescription drugs without your doctors consent, as some of them are addictive in nature or can deliver severe side effects if used incorrectly. Remember that sleeping aid medications should be taken under a professional doctor’s supervision, as it is very important for your own good and health.

In most cases sleep disorders are caused by certain health problems or substances taken that interfere with normal sleep patterns. Here are some of the most common health conditions that are known to cause various sleep disorders as well as a short description of how the sleep gets affected by them. So, you have a risk of experiencing insomnia and other sleep disturbances if you suffer from:

1. Cardiovascular diseases

The most frequent types of cardiovascular diseases that are known to have a heavy impact on the quality of sleep include congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease. These conditions are both linked to the development of sleep apnea.

Congestive heart failure is described as the decreased ability of the heart to provide the body with sufficient blood for normal functioning. As a consequence, blood tends to flood up near the kidneys and the edema occurring because of that leads to severe damage to most of internal organs.

Coronary heart disease is described as the increased concentration of fatty substances in the arteries delivering the blood to the heart, which consequently leads to atherosclerosis.

2. Endocrine problems

Sleep disorders are often caused by dysfunctions of the endocrine system including conditions like thyroid dysfunction or diabetes. People who suffer from diabetes often have metabolism problems, and if not controlled this condition often results in restless leg syndrome.

Thyroid gland produces various hormones that regulate the energy circulation in the body. Patients with thyroid disorders often suffer from interrupted sleep.

3. Neurological issues

Neurological issues also cause sleep disorders, and conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and strokes can often lead to bad sleep. Neurological conditions heavily affect the central nervous system and lead to interrupted sleep and insomnia, while strokes are often associated with sleep apnea.

4. Respiratory problems

People who have respiratory problems often deal with sleep disorders. Conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease usually lead to interrupted sleep and insomnia. That is because the troubled breathing and inflammation of the air passages affects the quality of sleep, making it hard to reach the REM stage.

5. Mental illnesses

In many cases of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and seasonal affective disorder are associated with insomnia and interrupted sleep.

6. GERD

GERD, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, is characterized by the reflux of stomach acid to the esophagus, which usually happens during the night and causes sleep disturbance and fragmentation.

7. Kidney problems

Kidneys work by filtering the content of blood for waste substances, and when their functioning is decreased, these substances may poison the body and cause conditions like insomnia or restless leg syndrome.

8. Arthritis

Arthritis is often associated with chronic pain, which may cause interrupted sleep and insomnia.

If you have problems with sleep, don’t rush off to buy Ambien right away. In most cases, improving the condition at cause of the problem allows to improve the quality of sleep in general. However, drugs like Ambien still can be of a help if the problems are too severe or the condition cannot be controlled that easy. Make sure to discuss the use of Ambien CR and other sleeping aids with your doctor in order to avoid interference and interactions with the conditions at cause.