Severe chronic abuse of zolpidem for over 10 years: a case report and review of similar cases.

Background: Insomnia is a major health issue, and zolpidem is an effective treatment for insomnia. However, high doses of zolpidem can cause dependence, abuse, and withdrawal symptoms, questioning its advantages.
Case Presentation: A 39-year-old woman who has been divorced and unemployed for 2 years was referred to an addiction treatment center with a chief complaint of "seizure-like withdrawal symptoms after consuming high doses of zolpidem (up to 6,000 mg per day) for a decade." These symptoms were in the form of body tremors, nystagmus, stress, anxiety, hot flashes, and sweaty palms. She has been undergoing detoxification by clonazepam for almost 2 months. Except for the first few days, she did not have any withdrawal symptoms, and her insomnia caused by zolpidem has improved.
Conclusion: Chronic abuse of zolpidem can cause dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and abuse. High doses can lead to extreme cravings and dependence. Physicians must manage the withdrawal process.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2023 Moshfeghinia, Jazi, Kabaranzadghadim, Malekpour and Oji.)