A double blind trial of nitrazepam and flurazepam as sedatives

Abstract

A double-blind cross-over trial was conducted using flurazepam and nitrazepam as sedatives in a group of a dozen psychiatric in-patients. The results show highly significant differences between placebo effects and the active drugs. The differences between the two drugs were not significant apart from the subjective estimate of time slept in which flurazepam was superior. As other studies have confirmed also their safety, relative lack of side effects and very low addictive potential it seems there is little to choose between them, except for the possibility that flurazepam may be preferred subjectively.