A double-blind controlled subjective study of a new pharmaceutical preparation of lormetazepam versus placebo in patients with chronic sleep disturbances.

A double-blind crossover trial was carried out on the sleep-inducing activity of a new preparation (oral drops) of lormetazepam versus placebo. Twenty patients were included and requested to subjectively evaluate their sleep, both by analogue scales and semiquantitative ratings, during 2-night administration of the two products. Also, the usual parameters, sleep duration, sleep latency and number of awakenings were evaluated. Lormetazepam drops appeared to exert the same actions as the capsules' preparation, being significantly different from those of the placebo.