Potentially Fatal Parasomnia Suspected to be Caused by Zolpidem

Abstract

Parasomnia due to a medication or substance is suspected when symptoms occur temporally in relation to exposure to an exogenous substance, such as a drug, and improve upon discontinuation of the exposure. Zolpidem is among the most commonly prescribed medications for insomnia in Korea. However, parasomnia has sometimes been reported to occur post its usage. Here, we present two cases of patients taking zolpidem for insomnia who experienced dangerous events while asleep that they did not recall upon waking. The nature of these events was so perilous that they posed a threat to the patients’ lives. While one patient sustained a bodily injury, the other was at risk of a potentially fatal injury. However, these parasomnias did not recur after discontinuation of zolpidem.