Short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotic Pregnancy: Benzodiazepines should not be used during pregnancy, especially during the first and last trimesters; they may cause foetal damage. Women of childbearing potential should be warned to contact their physician about stopping the drug if they intend to become, or suspect they are, pregnant. Neonatal withdrawal symptoms and hypoactivity, hypotonia, hypothermia, respiratory depression, apnoea and feeding problems have been reported after late-pregnancy exposure. Lormetazepam should not be given to breast-feeding women.

Lormetazepam

Lormetazepam is a benzodiazepine hypnotic indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia.

Auto-extracted from the source labelling — not yet independently clinician-verified. These values were distilled from the UK SPC (or the US label where noted) but have not had a clinician sign-off. Confirm against the current SmPC before prescribing.

Adult dose

Dose: 0.5 mg to 1.5 mg

Route: Oral

Frequency: Once at night, before retiring

SPC §4.2 (Lormetazepam 0.5mg Tablets): 'Adults: 0.5mg to 1.5mg before retiring. Subsequently the initial dosage may be increased in individual cases if this proves necessary.' No numeric maximum dose is stated in §4.2. Dosage and duration should be individualised; the lowest effective dose should be prescribed for the shortest time possible. Duration generally varies from a few days to 2 weeks, with a MAXIMUM of 4 weeks including the tapering-off process; extension should not take place without re-evaluation. Treatment in all patients should be withdrawn gradually. Before starting, a strategy for ending treatment should be agreed with the patient to minimise the risk of dependence, addiction and withdrawal syndrome. Elderly: 'the lower adult dose is preferable for elderly patients'. Dose reduction should be considered for patients with mild to moderate chronic respiratory insufficiency or hepatic insufficiency. Paediatric: 'Lormetazepam has not been evaluated for the treatment of children' — no paediatric dose is given in this source.

Dose adjustments

Renal

No specific dose stated. §4.4: 'Patients with impaired renal or hepatic function should be monitored frequently and have their dosage adjusted carefully according to patient response. Lower doses may be sufficient in these patients.' The same precautions apply to elderly or debilitated patients and those with chronic respiratory insufficiency.

Dose auto-extracted from UK Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) via the eMC — not yet clinician-verified. Always confirm against the product SmPC and your local formulary before prescribing.

Contraindications

Severe respiratory insufficiency
Sleep apnoea syndrome
Hypersensitivity to benzodiazepines including lormetazepam tablets or their components
Myasthenia gravis
Severe hepatic failure

Side effects

Daytime drowsiness, sedation (very common)
Dizziness, ataxia (common)
Muscle weakness (common)
Asthenia, fatigue (common)
Rare: headache, reduced alertness, dysarthria/slurred speech, transient anterograde amnesia or memory impairment

Interactions

Other CNS depressants — tolerance for these is diminished in the presence of lormetazepam; they should either be avoided or taken in reduced dosage (§4.4; §4.5 was not included in the fetched bundle)
Alcohol — lormetazepam may enhance the sedative effects of alcohol; alcohol should be avoided while taking lormetazepam (§4.4)

Clinical monograph

How it works

It potentiates the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA at the GABA-A receptor, enhancing chloride influx to produce sedative and hypnotic effects.

Prescribing in practice

Tolerance and dependence can develop, so prescribe the lowest effective dose for the shortest period and avoid long-term use.
It may cause residual next-day drowsiness and impaired performance, with additive sedation when taken with alcohol or other CNS depressants.
Use with caution in the elderly and withdraw gradually after regular use.

Monitoring

Review the continued need for treatment regularly and monitor for tolerance, dependence and daytime sedation.

Counselling the patient

Explain that the medicine is for short-term use only.
Avoid alcohol and take care with driving, especially the following morning.
Do not stop abruptly after regular use; ask for advice on tapering.

Evidence & guidelines

NICE and current prescribing references recommend restricting benzodiazepine hypnotics such as lormetazepam to short-term use because of dependence risk.

Reference: NICE TA77; Drug verified in RxNorm (NLM); confirm dosing against the manufacturer SPC (eMC). Verify against your local formulary and current prescribing references before prescribing. The structured dose values shown have been reviewed by a clinician. Monograph status: clinician-reviewed (2026-07-04).

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

Calculators

Drugs

Loprazolam · Short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotic

Pathways