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Abstract
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As sleep specialists, we wish to comment on the recent letter by Nobile et al,1 which suggests a potential role for daridorexant, a new hypnotic, in increasing suicide risk.
Since insomnia symptoms are independent risk factors for increased suicide risk and major depression,2–4 we suggest that it is of great clinical importance to treat insomnia in order to reduce its potential consequences on mental health in general.5 We think it is important to develop new pharmacologic agents for insomnia treatment based on alternative pharmacologic mechanisms.
As the only newly available pharmacologic option in Europe, daridorexant, based on orexin receptor antagonism, seems to represent a new option for insomnia treatment. The statement by Nobile et al1 that “daridorexant has been associated with a risk of aggravation of depression and emergence and/or aggravation of suicidal ideation” was surprising to us, and we believe that this statement may not provide enough context behind this possible risk and the benefit of treating insomnia with daridorexant. Thus, their statement might be misleading for readers and prevent unbiased assessment and treatment of insomnia, depression, and/or suicidal ideation.
Language: en |