Sleeping Pill Wakes Woman After 2 Years in Coma

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According to Grisolia, other case reports have shown coma patients "awakening" through stimulant medications, but never from a medication like zolpidem. How the drug worked its magic in this case remains unknown. "It needs case reports and further study in the lab to get a handle on this," he said.

Dr. Tetsuo Ashizawa, professor and chairman of the department of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, called the report "interesting." But he cautioned against using such a single-patient study as a basis for treating other, seemingly similar cases.

"I understand the desire of the family member to give Ambien to patients" as a result of this study, he said, "but I would not tell them that they should expect improvement. As a physician, I would say this worked in this lady but it may not work in your father or mother, so they should not have unreal expectations. If it works, OK, but if it doesn't, don't be disappointed."

Still, Grisolia said he expects more reports on the effect of zolpidem in akinetic mutism will be published as a result of this study.

"I'm sure that anyone that has a relative who is in a long-term coma is going to be interested in having the doctor try Ambien and see if it makes a difference. So we may get more case reports very quickly," he said.

A spokeswoman for Sanofi-Aventis, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Ambien, declined to comment on the study.

More information

For more information on zolpidem, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.