Imovane

Drugs

Generic Name: Zopiclone
Product Name: Imovane

Indication of Imovane
Action of Imovane
Dose Advice of Imovane
Schedule of Imovane
Common side effects of Imovane
Uncommon side effects of Imovane
Reference

Indication of Imovane:

Imovane is used to relief insomnia. It is used for short term treatment and is not recommended for use for more than 4 weeks at a time.

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Action of Imovane:

Imovane is a short acting hypnotic agent. It works by reducing the time taken to fall asleep, increasing the duration of sleep and decreasing the number of awakenings.

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Dose Advice of Imovane:

Dose Usage:

The standard adult dose of Imovane is one tablet just before you go to bed.
Do not drink alcohol before or after taking Imovane.
You should not operate dangerous machinery or drive motor vehicles after taking Imovane until you know how it affects you.
If you are over 65 years of age or have a liver problem, the dose is half a tablet to be taken just before you go to bed.
If you take Imovane on an empty stomach, it may work more quickly.
Imovane should only be used for short periods. Continuous long term use is not recommended unless advised by your doctor.

Contraindications:

Imovane should not be used if you

have known allergy to active ingredient of Imovane, zopiclone or any other excipients
drink alcohol
have myasthenia gravis
have severe impairments of respiratory function
have acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
have sleep apnoea syndrome
have severe liver impairment
intend to give Imovane to children under 18 years

Precautions:

You must tell your doctor if you

are allergic to active ingredient of Imovane, zolpidem
are over 65 years old
intend to give it to children or adolscents
are pregnant or intend to become pregnant
are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
have liver problem, thyroid problems, depression and epilepsy
plan to have surgery
have sleep apnoea
if you have ever been addicted to alcohol or any drug or medicine
if you have ever suffered from a mental illness
if you are taking any other medicines, including those that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food store

Use in pregnancy (Category C):

Imovane is not recommended to be used during pregnancy. Hence, you should avoid taking Imovane unless the benefits outweigh the risks.

Lactation:

The active ingredient of Imovane may be excreted into breast milk. Your doctor will discuss the risks of taking Imovane if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

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Schedule of Imovane:

Imovane is Schedule 4.

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Common side effects of Imovane:

All medicines have side effects. Most commonly the side effects are minor, however some can be more serious. Usually the benefits of taking a medication outweigh the associated side effects. Your doctor would have considered these side effects before starting you on Imovane.

Common side effects are those which occur in more than 1% of patients given Imovane. These include:

headaches
dry mouth
bitter taste in your mouth
drowsiness

If you experience any of the listed side effects, or any other symptoms which appear abnormal or unusual, please tell your doctor.

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Uncommon side effects of Imovane:

Side effects which occur in less than 1% of patients given Imovane are considered uncommon. Patients do not necessarily experience any of these side effects, so do not become alarmed by this list:

heartburn
nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
change in appetite
stomach pain
rash
agitation
depression
confusion
anxiety
dizziness
blurred vision
impotence
sleep walking or other behaviours whilst asleep

The following symptoms are rare (occurrence less than 0.1%) but very serious. If you have them, you may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat
hives
fainting

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Reference:

Australian Medicines Handbook. Zopiclone. January 2008 [cited 2008 September 11]. Available from URL: http://amh.hcn.net.au
MIMS Online. Imovane. 01 May 2007 [cited 2008 September 11]. Available from URL: http://mims.hcn.net.au

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