Abstract

Glutethimide BNF (Doriden - Ciba) is a hypnotic in doses of 250–500 mg. Recently 100 mg tablets (Doriden-Sed) have been introduced for daytime sedation with the claim that the preparation “takes the edge off anxiety - not off performance.” No evidence is available to support this claim. The advertising may imply that glutethimide is to be preferred to barbiturates, both as a hypnotic and for daytime sedation. In fact glutethimide has not been shown to cause any less drowsiness or hangover than equivalent doses of barbiturates. These effects are in any case less troublesome than is often implied in the promotion of non-barbiturate hypnotics. Like barbiturates, glutethimide can produce addiction, and evidence of unusual toxic effects has begun to appear.