Guidance from United HealthCare on eszopiclone

March 2, 2015

FOR MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DRUGS, PLEASE SEE THIS PAGE: ZOPICLONE (IMOVANE)

The document (Excel) was sent to Dr. Daniel Fierer, by United HealthCare. There is a clear entry for not using this drug for longer than 90 days. Zopiclone itself is the “parent” drug of eszopliclone and is not available in the United States so there are not American documents on that drug, but they are similar and if anything, eszopiclone would be a safer drug than the zopiclone that Ida is being perpetually given.

You may download the entire document here: PATH_High Risk Medication Crosswalk

You’ll find the specific item on the 2nd tab of the Excel document. Here is a cut and paste of the key details:

Therapeutic Category:

Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics

High-Risk

Medications:

Included when cumulative

day supply is >90 days.

•Eszopiclone

• Zolpidem

• Zaleplon

Medication Risk:

Benzodiazepine-receptor agonists

that have adverse events similar to

those of benzodiazepines in older

adults (e.g., delirium, falls, fractures);

minimal improvement in sleep latency

and duration.

Alternatives:

Insomnia, recommend:

• Low-dose trazodone

• Ramelteon (Rozerem)

Formulary Notes:

Trazodone is covered across

all UnitedHealthcare Medicare

formularies. Please refer to specific

formulary for coverage/copay details

for Rozerem.

As further example that this isn’t just a few doctors that Calle

has talked to, the Australian gov’t (amongst others) also agrees

that Zopiclone/imovane should not be given to stroke patients:

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcmed.nsf/pages/swcimova/$File/swcimova.pdf

And furthermore, as Calle notes, not to the elderly and certainly not for that long.

PLEASE SEE THIS PAGE: ZOPICLONE (IMOVANE)