Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE
Volume 30, Issue 4, Pages 359-362Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/1049909112452334
Keywords
cancer patients; insomnia; nightmare; sleep avoidance; trazodone; antidepressant; hypnotics
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Patients with cancer often experience insomnia. Nightmares are also a strong factor that interferes with the maintenance of comfortable and satisfying sleep. However, the prevalence and standard treatment of nightmares in patients with cancer have not been established yet. We aimed to treat insomnia and nightmares with trazodone. From 2008 to 2011, trazodone was prescribed to 30 patients with cancer who reported experiencing insomnia with or without nightmares to the palliative care team in Osaka University Hospital. Effective treatment was seen in 15 patients (50%). Four patients with cancer reported having severe nightmares and 2 patients had beneficial effects, with frightening dreams transformed into acceptable ones. Trazodone may be an effective drug for the treatment of insomnia and nightmares in patients with advanced cancer.
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