Efficacy and side effects of flurazepam and a combination of amobarbital and secobarbital in insomniac patients.

Flurazepam, 30 mg, was not more effective in inducing sleep than placebo. Barbiturates (100 mg amobarbital plus 100 mg secobarbital) were more effective in inducing and maintaining sleep than flurazepam or placebo. Contrary to work conducted in the sleep laboratory, the barbiturate hypnotics were still effective on the 14th night. Insomniacs performed poorly on psychomotor tests, but as a group they did not show statistically significant psychomotor impairment after the use of the hypnotics.