No, Trazodone improves sleep quality.
Influence of a Trazodone on structure of a dream decided on the help of methods of a research at patients with a depression and at the patients longing insomnia for other reasons.
Action of prolonged Trazodone treatment on the nature (patterns) of a dream at patients with a depression was investigated rather widely (a source: Mouret, 1988; Scharf, 1990; Van Bemmel, 1992). From the moment of an initiation of treatment the effect similar to sleeping pill was observed, namely: dream duration in general and the second phase of a dream in particular increased and also the latent phase of a dream was reduced and indicators of night awakenings decreased. Long treatment by a Trazodone led to increase in the period of a delta dream and latent stage of REM (a source: Mouret, 1988). Similar results were noted during the eight-week “unary blind person” of a research when patients with a depression with clinically significant insomnia experienced increase in efficiency of a dream after treatment by a Trazodone and normalization of structure of a dream at the final stage of a research (a source: Scharf, 1990).
According to one more research (source: Van Bemmel, 1992), a trazodone did not affect the continuity of a dream and a phase of a slow dream (SWS) in any way, but at the same time suppressed a fast phase of a dream (REM) and considerably increases a latent stage of REM. Recently it was confirmed that at the patients with a depression accepting a Trazodone on 100 mg for the night, indicators of a dream changed (in comparison with placebo) as follows: the efficiency of a dream increased, the general time and the general period of a dream and duration of a phase of a slow dream (SWS) in particular increased and also wakefulness frequency/duration at night and early morning hours decreased (Fig. 16, a source: Saletu-Zyhlarz, 2002, with specifications). In indicators the fast phase of a dream (REM) of changes was not, except for growth of duration of REM in minutes (a source: Saletu-Zyhlarz, 2002).
The specified impact of a Trazodone on a dream assumes that it is the best of all to use drug at treatment of the patients with a depression having insomnia. According to one “the double blind person” of a research, the same daily dose of a Trazodone was equally effective at treatment of sleep disorders irrespective of whether it was accepted one or twice a day, apart from, however, much more significant improvement observed within the first week of treatment when patients accepted on one dose of drug for the night (a source: Wheatley, 1984).
Reception of a Trazodone of the slowed-down action on 150 mg was also checked for efficiency at treatment of the patients complaining of the chronic insomnia connected with a dysthymia (a source: Parrino, 1994). The received results showed significant increase in a phase of a slow dream (SWS) and considerable decrease in an indicator of the Stage 2, time of the Cyclic Alternating Pattern (CAP) and an indicator of SAR. These changes corresponded to improvement of indicators on a scale of HAM-D and kept the importance during the entire period of active treatment. According to authors, availability effective slowly acting related to serotonin of the drug having both sedative, and antidepressive properties offers new prospects in treatment of chronic insomnia.
During one more research reception of a Trazodone on 100 mg was recognized as effective for neutralization of changes in the objective and subjective pictures of a dream and quality of awakening caused by a dysthymia (a source: Saletu-Zyhlarz, 2001). In particular, in comparison with placebo, the Trazodone more prolonged a phase of a slow dream and a latent stage of REM, reduced duration actually of REM and normalized “the index of the periodic movement of legs”. In general, unlike TTsA, the Trazodone obviously improved both structure of a dream and its quality at patients with a depression. Such influence is reached quickly enough and can be especially useful when rendering psychological assistance by the patient in an initial stage of treatment of a depression.
Actually, any relief of symptoms of insomnia at patients with a depression, in addition to simplification of other symptoms, can become an observance stimulus sick all requirements of treatment and can improve their working capacity in the afternoon, and is also positive influence their general functional state; full removal of symptoms of insomnia can improve further forecasts of treatment (a source: Thase, 1999).
Trazodone is also an effective sleeping pill for patients suffering from insomnia caused by antidepressants of other classes. This was confirmed in a study of patients with depression in whom insomnia occurred while taking fluoxetine or bupropion, and in general in patients taking stimulating antidepressants (source: Nierenberg, 1994; Kaynak, 2004).
Improvement in sleep indicators when taking Trazodone (but not placebo) was recorded by general data on the Pittsburgh Index scale, as well as general sleep indicators on the scale: the Yale-Newhaven List, the Pittsburgh Index of Sleep Duration Indicators and the Yale-Newhaven List of Quantitative indicators of awakening in the early morning hours. As for the patients examined at the final stages of treatment, 67% of them when taking Trazodone felt a general improvement in sleep according to predefined criteria, while when taking placebo, only 13% of patients improved (source: Nierenberg, 1994).
According to results of recent cross placebos – controlled researches (a source: Kaynak, 2004), at the women who had insomnia accepting SIOZS, reception of 100 mg of a Trazodone yielded highly effective results. This dosage considerably increased the general time of a dream, a percentage share of stages 3+4, the index of sleep quality and the index of duration of a dream while the decreasing percentage share of a stage 1, the number of awakenings and shifts in stages of a dream were comparable to indicators of the basic line. Improvement was also recorded by “The Pittsburgh index” of sleep quality.
The positive effect of a Trazodone was also confirmed to polysomnographic with methods of a research within recently conducted “the double blind person”, placebo – a controlled research of a condition of abstention from alcohol at alcoholics (a source: Le Bon, 2003). In Trazodone in group the efficiency of a dream increased when it was calculated from the backfilling moment, and both after the first administration of drug, and in four weeks from the moment of an initiation of treatment while at the patients accepting placebo, no improvements were observed. Assessment of indicators of improvement of a dream at reception of a Trazodone included such parameters as the number of night awakenings, time of the alternations of a state “dream wakefulness”, phases and stages of a dream which are not characterized by the fast movement of eyes.