Lunesta  
Understanding Insomnia About Lunesta Taking Lunesta LUNESTA Patient Medication Guide Dream Kit

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Benzodiazepine:
An older sedative used as a sleep aid.

Chronic or Long-term Insomnia:
Usually occurs at least 3 days a week and lasts 4 weeks or more. The most common causes are: Hormonal fluctuations; Aging; Medical conditions and treatment; Psychiatric illness.

Class of Drugs:
A group of medicines that work in a similar way to treat a particular disease.

Dose:
The amount of medicine to be taken at one time.

Decongestants:
Medicines that help drain congestion in the sinuses and nasal passages (e.g., pseudoephedrine).

Eszopiclone:
The active ingredient in Lunesta. Click here to learn how eszopiclone works in your body.

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid):
An amino acid in the brain that aids sleep by naturally relaxing the muscles in the body and calming emotions.

Hypnotics:
Sleep-inducing drugs.

Insomnia:
According to a Nation Sleep Foundation, you have insomnia if you have at least one of the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty falling sleep
  • Difficulty staying asleep
  • Waking up too early in the morning

AND

Your sleeplessness has a negative impact on your daytime functioning, such as difficulty concentrating or irritability.

Nap:
Short period of planned sleep during the day. The need for a nap usually results from a lack of nighttime sleep.

Pain Relievers:
Medicine that helps alleviate pain and reduce inflammation (e.g., acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin).

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS):
A sleep disorder characterized by a creeping sensation in the legs that occur while a person is lying still in bed. The sensation results in an irresistible urge to move or jerk the leg.

Sleep Apnea:
A sleep disorder characterized by a temporary cessation of breath caused by a periodic paralysis of the respiratory muscles, cutting off airflow through the nose and mouth.

Sleep Maintenance Insomnia:
Difficulty maintaining deep, uninterrupted sleep all night long. If sleep is disturbed, it's often a struggle to fall back asleep.

Sleep Onset Insomnia:
Difficulty falling asleep.

Tolerance:
Refers to a drug losing effectiveness in the same dose over time.

Transient or Short-term Insomnia:
Usually lasts less than 4 weeks. The most common causes are: stressful/anxiety-producing events; medical conditions, psychiatric illness, hormonal fluctuations; jet lag; environmental disturbances.

Lunesta® (eszopiclone) is a prescription sleep medicine used in adults for the treatment of a sleep problem called insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia include trouble falling asleep and waking up often during the night.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:
LUNESTA acts quickly, so take it right before bed, and only if you have 8 hours to devote to sleep.  Until you know how you will react to LUNESTA, you should not drive or operate machinery.  Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days.  This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problems.  Walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep without remembering it the next day have been reported.  Other abnormal behaviors include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations and confusion.  In depressed patients, worsening of depression including risk of suicide may occur. These risks may increase if you drink alcohol. Severe allergic reactions such as swelling of the tongue and throat occur rarely and may be fatal.   Call your doctor if you experience these or any effects or reactions that concern you.  LUNESTA, like most sleep medicines, carries some risk of dependency.  Side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, morning drowsiness and dizziness.  You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information, please see the LUNESTA Medication Guide.

The health information contained herein is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with a healthcare provider. The products discussed herein may have different product labeling in different countries. All decisions regarding patient care must be made with a healthcare provider, considering the unique characteristics of the patient. LUNESTA is a medicine used to treat insomnia. Remember that no medicine is for everyone. Only your doctor can prescribe LUNESTA for you.

This site is intended for U.S. residents 18 years of age or older.

 
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