SODIUM BUTABARBITAL (BUTISOL SODIUM) AS AN HYPNOTIC AGENT FOR AGED PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS WITH SLEEP DISORDERS*

Abstract

A bstract In a triple‐blind, crossover, fixed‐dosage study, sodium butabarbital (Butisol Sodium) was tested as an aid to sleep for 53 hospitalized aged psychiatric patients with sleep disorders. After one week of placebo therapy to detect “placebo reactors,” the additional three‐week schedule (oral administration) consisted of the following sequences: (a) placebo, Butisol 50 mg, Butisol 100 mg; (b) Butisol 50 mg, Butisol 100 mg, placebo; (c) Butisol 100 mg, placebo, Butisol 50 mg. Observations were made at the first two half hours after administration of medication at 8 p.m. and hourly thereafter until 6 a.m., for onset of sleep, duration of sleep, number of times awake, duration of waking period, quality of sleep, and mental state on awakening. Three tests were used for evaluating the patients: CGI, NOSIE and TES. Sodium butabarbital (Butisol Sodium) in moderate dosage (50 mg) was an effective hypnotic agent for the majority of the patients and also appeared to be conducive to behavioral improvement in the daytime as reported by both nurses and psychiatrists. There was no advantage to using the 100‐mg dosage as an hypnotic, and some disadvantage with respect to daytime behavior. Patients slept better and longer during the drug periods than during the placebo periods. There were no more side effects during the drug periods than during the placebo periods, nor were more detrimental effects evident upon awakening. Clearly sodium butabarbital is useful as an hypnotic for aged psychiatric patients.