Insomnia in older adults: A review of treatment options.
Study Design
- Study Type
- review
- Population
- Older adults (>65 years) with insomnia
- Intervention
- Insomnia in older adults: A review of treatment options. various
- Comparator
- multiple comparators across reviewed studies
- Primary Outcome
- treatment efficacy and safety of insomnia treatments in older adults (>65 years)
- Effect Direction
- Positive
- Risk of Bias
- Moderate
Abstract
Insomnia is a common and challenging complaint in older adults (> 65 years) because of age-related alterations in sleep physiology. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the gold standard for treatment of insomnia in young as well as older patients. Both clinicians and patients often prefer the simplicity of medication, but risks associated with some hypnotics increase with age. Pharmacologic options for older adults include low-dose doxepin, melatonin, ramelteon, and the dual orexin receptor antagonists. A well-informed clinician can help patients navigate the risks and benefits of both pharmacologic and behavioral options.
TL;DR
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the gold standard in all age groups, but it is time-intensive and does not offer immediate results.