Efficacy and side effects of nitrazepam and thioridazine as sleeping aids in psychogeriatric in-patients.

The efficacy and side effects of 10 mg of nitrazepam and 25 mg of thioridazine as sleeping aids were measured in 20 psychogeriatric in-patients during the 14th night and morning of drug administration. The trial used a double blind, cross-over design. The effect of nitrazepam was slightly faster than that of thioridazine. After thioridazine, but not after nitrazepam, the patients slept significantly longer than after placebo. Nitrazepam, but not thioridazine, significantly impaired patients' abilities to move and to conduct everyday activities. It is concluded that thioridazine is a suitable sleeping aid for psychogeriatric patients, but that nitrazepam should be avoided.