Eight things to know about the latest sleeping pill
13th May 2017
The newest sleeping pill to hit the local market is suvorexant, a new type of hypnotic with a short track record.

Here are eight things you should know about suvorexant (Belsomra):
- It is the first orexin-receptor antagonist to be marketed in Australia.
- While the drug may be better than placebo, its efficacy compared with other hypnotics is uncertain.
- It is believed to be a better long-term option than benzodiazepines.
- For a hypnotic, suvorexant has a long half-life (12 hours).
- It improves sleep maintenance by