2022.12雅思閱讀模擬試題

RoxanneKhamsi

Newevidencehaslinkedacommonlyprescribedsleepmedicationwithbizarrebehaviours,includingacaseinwhichawomanpaintedherfrontdoorinhersleep.

UKandAustralianhealthagencieshavereleasedinformationabout240casesofoddoccurrences,includingsleepwalking,amnesiaandhallucinationsamongpeopletakingthedrugzolpidem.

Whiledoctorssaythatzolpidemcanoffermuch-neededreliefforpeoplewithsleepdisorders,theycautionthatthesenewlyreportedcasesshouldpromptacloserlookatitspossiblesideeffects.

Zolpidem,soldunderthebrandnamesAmbien,StilnoctandStilnox,iswidelyprescribedtotreatinsomniaandotherdisorderssuchassleepapnea.Variousformsofthedrug,madebyFrenchpharmaceuticalgiantSanofi-Aventis,wereprescribed674,500timesin2022intheUK.

AnewlypublishedreportfromAustralia’sFederalHealthDepartmentdescribes104casesofhallucinationsand62casesofamnesiaexperiencedbypeopletakingzolpidemsincemarketingofthedrugbegantherein2022.Thehealthdepartmentreportalsomentioned16casesofstrangesleepwalkingbypeopletakingthemedication.

Midnightsnack

Inoneofthesesleepwalkingcasesapatientwokewithapaintbrushinherhandafterpaintingthefrontdoortoherhouse.Anothercaseinvolvedawomanwhogained23kilogramsoversevenmonthswhiletakingzolpidem.“Itwasonlywhenshewasdiscoveredinfrontofanopenrefrigeratorwhileasleepthattheproblemwasresolved,”accordingtothereport.

TheUK’sMedicinesandHealthcareproductsRegulatoryAgency,meanwhile,hasrecorded68casesofadversereactionstozolpidemfrom2022to2022.

ThenewlyreportedcasesintheUKandAustraliaaddtoagrowinglistofbizarresleepwalkingepisodeslinkedtothedruginothercountries,includingreportsofpeoplesleep-drivingwhileonthemedication.Inonecase,atransatlanticflighthadtobedivertedafterapassengercausedhavocaftertakingzolpidem.

Hypnoticeffects

Thereisnobiologicalpathwaythathasbeenproventoconnectzolpidemwiththesebehaviours.Thedrugisabenzodiazepine-likehypnoticthatpromotesdeepsleepbyinteractingwithbrainreceptorsforachemicalcalledgamma-aminobutyricacid.Whilepartsofthebrainbecomelessactiveduringdeepsleep,thebodycanstillmove,makingsleepwalkingapossibility.

Theproductinformationforprescribersadvisesthatpsychiatricadverseeffects,includinghallucinations,sleepwalkingandnightmares,aremorelikelyintheelderly,andtreatmentshouldbestoppediftheyoccur.

Patientadvocacygroupssaytheywouldlikegovernmenthealthagenciesanddrugcompaniestotakeacloserlookatthepossiblerisksassociatedwithsleepmedicines.Theystressthatstrangesleepwalkingandsleep-drivingbehaviourscanhaveriskyconsequences.

“Whenpeopledosomethinginwhichthey’renotinfullcontrolit’salwaysadanger,”saysVeraSharavoftheNewYork-basedAllianceforHumanResearchProtection,aUSnetworkthatadvocatesresponsibleandethicalmedicalresearchpractices.

Triedandtested

“Themorereportsthatcomeoutaboutthepotentialsideeffectsofthedrug,themoreresearchneedstobedonetounderstandifthesearerealsideeffects,”sayssleepresearcherKennethWrightattheUniversityofColoradoinBoulder,US.

Millionsofpeoplehavetakenthedrugwithoutexperiencinganystrangesideeffects,pointsoutRichardMillmanatBrownMedicalSchool,directoroftheSleepDisordersCenterofLifespanHospitalsinProvidence,RhodeIsland,US.Hesaysthatunlikeoldertypesofsleepmedications,zolpidemdoesnotcarryasgreatariskofaddiction.

AndWrightnotesthatsomeofthereportsof“sleep-driving”linkedtozolpidemcanbeeasilyexplained:somepatientshavewronglytakenthedrugrightbeforeleavingworkinhopesthatthemedicinewillkickinbythetimetheyreachhome.Doctorsstressthatthemedicationshouldbetakenjustbeforegoingtobed.

TheUSFood&DrugAdministrationsaysitiscontinuingto“activelyinvestigate“andcollectinformationaboutcaseslinkingzolpidemtounusualsideeffects.

TheAmbienlabelcurrentlylistsstrangebehaviourasa“specialconcern”forpeopletakingthedrug.“It’sapossiblerareadverseevent,”saysSanofi-AventisspokespersonMelissaFeltmann,addingthatthestra