Sleep-related eating disorder caused by zolpidem: case report and review of the literature

Sleep-related eating disorder caused by zolpidem: case report and review of the literature Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is a status characterized by recurrent episodes of eating high caloric foods and sometimes even toxic products at the transition from night-time sleep to arousal. The case presented is secondary to treatment with zolpidem, a hypnotic whose prescription rate has increased worldwide over the past few years. The authors report a case of SRED caused by zolpidem with important repercussions on the sleep structure and quality of life of our patient. The night eating episodes ceased promptly with zolpidem discontinuation, the sleep structure improved and the dayand night-time consequences disappeared. As in very few reported cases of zolpidem-induced SREDs, our patient had been suffering from parasomnia for a long time before the diagnosis. Reaching an understanding of the mechanism producing this type of parasomnias can be a guide for choosing the candidate profile before starting a zolpidem treatment. Active exclusion of symptoms suggestive of SREDs in patients under zolpidem treatment can avoid a significant deterioration in the quality of life of our patients. To our knowledge, there are no data focusing on the risk of parasomnias as a function of the sedative-hypnotic agent chosen. Here we present a case that may help address this issue.