Sleeping pills are often administered in the presence of insomnia and other related sleep disorders. Subsequently, there is a wide variety of sleeping pills, prescription and generic, that assist patients in falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer. However, recent studies suggest that the introduction of sleeping pills for a prolonged period of time may coincide with catastrophic complications. Sleeping pills may be hazardous to one’s health and might cause death by contributing to the occurrence of cancer, heart disease and other ailments.
If you or a loved one has been injured by sleeping pills, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free confidential case evaluation. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.
Sleeping Pills Lawsuit Overview
Most sleeping pills are “sedative hypnotics,” which are used to induce and/or maintain sleep. Sedative hypnotics include benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines barbiturates, and sedative antihistamines. While an overwhelming variety of sleeping pills are available on the market, the majority of them are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assist in the treatment of insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. People with insomnia have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Waking up often and having problems falling back to sleep
- Waking up too early
- Feeling tired upon waking up
Insomnia episodes can vary in length and may be classified as one of two types. The first of which is known as acute insomnia. As its name suggests, acute insomnia is short-term and may only last about two weeks. Chronic insomnia, on the other hand, occurs when a person is unable to sleep for at least three nights a week for a month or longer.
Acute insomnia rarely requires treatment and often treats itself eventually. Mild insomnia often can be prevented or cured by practicing good sleep habits. If insomnia makes it hard for patients to function during the day because of sleep deprivation, health care providers may prescribe sleeping pills for a limited time. Rapid onset, short-acting sleeping pills have a proven track record of helping people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Unfortunately, the introduction of sleeping pills has recently been associated with catastrophic birth defects. According to a recent study, published in the British Medical Journal, sleeping pills may be hazardous to one’s health and might cause death by contributing to the occurrence of cancer, heart disease and other ailments. Due to the severe nature of these complications, patients may contact a lawyer at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP for a free case evaluation regarding their potential sleeping pills lawsuit.
Sleeping Pill Side Effects
The following s a comprehensive list of the side effects associated with most sleeping pills:
- Burning or tingling in the hands, arms, feet, or legs
- Changes in appetite
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty keeping balance
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth or throat
- Gas
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Stomach pain or tenderness
- Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
- Unusual dreams
- Weakness
While neither of these side effects demonstrate a propensity for the development of life-threatening problems, they may serve as indicators for severe complications. According to a recent study, sleeping pills may be hazardous to one’s health and might cause death by contributing to the occurrence of cancer, heart disease and other ailments. Due to the increased risk of these complications, various manufacturers may face a potential influx of sleeping pill lawsuits.
Sleeping Pill Study
According to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, sleeping pills are associated with greater than threefold increased hazards of death even when prescribed in regimens of 18 pills a year.
The study included 10,529 patients who received hypnotic prescription sleep pills and 23,676 matched controls with no hypnotic prescriptions. Researchers then followed the subjects for an average of 2.5 years between January 2002 and January 2007.
Patients prescribed hypnotic sleeping pills demonstrated an increased propensity for the development of fatal hazards compared to those prescribed non-hypnotic sleeping pills. The amount of pills taken per year respectively demonstrated a dose–response association. People who took 18 sleeping pills or fewer per year had more than 3.5 times higher a risk for death than those who didn’t take any sleeping pills. Subsequently, people taking more than 132 sleeping pills per year were at five times higher risk for death and 35 percent higher risk for cancer.
Hypnotic sleeping pills such as zolpidem, temazepam, eszopiclone, zaleplon, barbiturates and sedative antihistamines were further evaluated. Hypnotic use in the upper third was associated with a significant elevation of incident cancer. Results were robust within groups suffering each comorbidity, indicating that the death and cancer hazards associated with hypnotic drugs were not attributable to pre-existing disease.
- Prescription sleeping pills identified by the study include:
- Benzodiazepines (Restori)
- Non-benzodiazepines (Ambien, Intermezzo, Lunesta, and Sonata)
- Barbiturates
- Sedative antihistamines
Do IHave a Sleeping Pills Lawsuit?
The trial lawyers at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP have decades of experience navigating through complex legislative and regulatory issues and litigating high stakes cases all over the nation. Our law firm focuses on the representation of plaintiffs in sleeping pills lawsuits. We are currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.
Again, if you or a loved one has been injured by sleeping pills, you should contact our lawyers immediately by clicking the link below or calling toll free 1-(949) 557-5800. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.