Patients with depression plus insomnia rest easy with eszopiclone

The nonbenzodiazepine eszopiclone [Lunesta, Estorra] is beneficial in patients with coexisting insomnia and depression who are receiving fluoxetine therapy, according to the results of a study presented at the 158th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) [Atlanta, Georgia, US; May 2005]. In this 545-patient study, eszopiclone induced a rapid and sustained improvement in sleep parameters and daytime functioning. Furthermore, the addition of eszopiclone to fluoxetine therapy was associated with significant augmentation of the antidepressant response.