[Daytime sedation measured after intake of nitrazepam and lorazepam, respectively, as hypnotics for 10 days].

A prospective double-blind cross-over investigation was undertaken among 46 geriatric patients (62-92 years) in which either 5 mg nitrazepam or 1 mg lorazepam were administered as hypnotics for two periods of ten days. No significant differences were observed in the quality of sleep but the objective psychomotor tests and the patients' subjective experience of hang-overs showed that there were significant differences in the frequencies of side effects in favour of lorazepam. It is concluded that daytime sedation after repetitive administration of a benzodiazepine preparation depends upon the half-life and that side effects are revealed better by psychomotor tests than by intellectual, cognitive tests and that lorazepam should be given preference to nitrazepam as a hypnotic for elderly patients.