2024 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 34-39
Objective: To determine the actual status of lemborexant (LEM) prescriptions in the elderly in clinical practice.
Methods: The LEM prescription status was compared between elderly (age: ≥ 65 years) and non-elderly (< 65 years) patients admitted to Fukuoka University Hospital who started LEM treatment under sleeping pill conditions.
Results: The induction dose of LEM was lower in elderly patients than in the non-elderly patients and significantly increased by the time of discharge. The LEM prescription continuation rates of the elderly and non-elderly patients did not differ to a statistically significant extent. The usage of benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor agonists were significantly reduced immediately after LEM induction in elderly patients, with a particularly high proportion of patients receiving reduced doses of ultra-short- and short-acting drugs. There were no significant differences in the occurrence of adverse events or reasons for discontinuation between the elderly and non-elderly patients.
Conclusion: LEM was well tolerated by elderly and non-elderly patients, and may contribute to reducing the usage of BZD receptor agonists.
