Comparative efficacy of lormetazepam (Noctamid) and diazepam (Valium) in 100 out-patients with insomnia.

Lormetazepam (Noctamid) at a dosage of 1 mg was compared with diazepam (Valium) at a dosage of 5 mg in a 7-day double-blind study. The study involved fifty patients in the lormetazepam group and fifty patients in the diazepam group. All the patients were suffering from sleep disorders as a concomitant symptom of general diseases. Lormatazepam was significantly better than diazepam in the: -Reduction of the time taken to fall asleep (p less than 0.05) -Prolongation of the duration of uninterrupted sleep (p less than 0.05) -Reduction of the frequency of awakening (p less than 0.05). Lormetazepam displayed no hang-over effects or other side-effects and, in this respect too, was significantly superior to diazepam (p less than 0.05).