Long-term follow-up of patients with insomnia
Leon D. Rosenthal, MD, Diana C. Dolan, BS, Daniel J. Taylor, PhD, and Emily Grieser, BS
It has been suggested that patients with insomnia who are lost to follow-up continue to experience symptoms. From winter 2006 to spring 2007, we contacted consecutive patients initially seen at a multidisciplinary sleep medicine clinic 3 to 5 years earlier and asked them about continuing symptoms. Among the 58 patients who agreed to participate, 43 (74%) reported that they still experienced difficulty initiating and/or maintaining sleep. Thirty-one of those patients had continued to receive treatment, 11 from a sleep medicine specialist and the remainder from other physicians. The majority listed zolpidem or eszopiclone as their primary medication, and many took multiple medications, including over-the-counter drugs and alternative medications. Most patients with insomnia were unaware of cognitive-behavioral therapy. These findings emphasize the need for primary care physicians to monitor symptoms of insomnia and to remain vigilant about potential treatment complications.
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