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Citation |
Gustavsen I, Hjelmeland K, Bernard JP, Morland J. J. Clin. Psychopharmacol. 2011; 31(4): 481-488. |
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Affiliation |
Division of Forensic Toxicology and Drug Abuse, Norwegian Institute of Public Health; the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet; and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2011, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
21694628 |
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Abstract |
The sleep medicine zopiclone (eszopiclone) is commonly used in most Western countries. The focus on legislation for possible traffic-impairing nonalcohol drugs have caused a need for comparing traffic relevant behavior after intake of commonly used psychoactive drugs to blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). We aimed to compare psychomotor effects at 3 levels of behavior at different blood zopiclone concentrations to effects seen at different BACs.We performed a randomized double-blinded trial on 16 healthy volunteers who received either 10 or 5 mg zopiclone, 50 g ethanol or placebo in a crossover design. The volunteers performed computerized tests at baseline, 1, 3.5, and 6.5 hours after intake, accompanied by blood sampling.Impairment was found at all 3 behavior levels. For zopiclone, impairment was most pronounced at behavior level 1 (automotive behavior); a mean blood zopiclone concentration at 39 μg/L achieved 1 hour after intake of 10 mg zopiclone was accompanied by more impairment than BAC 0.074 %. At behavior levels 2 (control behavior) and 3 (executive planning), the psychomotor impairment accompanying approximately 39 μg/L zopiclone seemed comparable to a BAC of approximately 0.074%. No test components were impaired at 6.5 hours after intake. Language: en |