2023 Volume 35 Issue 1 Pages 31-40
GABA-BZ receptor agonists have anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic effects. However, various adverse events such as cognitive decline, falls and addiction formation due to high dose and long-term use have been reported. Therefore, lemborexant (hereinafter referred to as LEM), which is an orexin receptor antagonist, is expected as a new hypnotic. In this study, patients who changed from long-term oral GABA-BZ receptor agonists to LEM were classified into a weight reduction group at the time of LEM introduction and a weight reduction group after LEM introduction. A comparative study was conducted up to 12 weeks after switching. Of the cases of oral administration of GABA-BZ receptor agonist, 40 cases were changed to LEM, and 33 cases were subjects. There was no significant difference in the switching success rate between the two groups, but a switching success rate of about 80% was observed in both groups. In addition, no serious side effects occurred. Therefore, LEM may be expected as a replacement drug for patients taking GABA-BZ receptor agonists for a long time, suggesting that it may be useful as an option.
