Short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotic
Lormetazepam
Adult dose
Dose: 0.5–1.5mg at bedtime
Route: PO
Frequency: nocte
Clinical pearls
- Short-term (≤4 weeks) severe insomnia; alternative to nitrazepam
Contraindications
- Severe respiratory disease
- Sleep apnoea
- Severe hepatic impairment
- Myasthenia gravis
Side effects
- Sedation
- Hangover
- Dependence
- Falls
Interactions
- CNS depressants
- CYP3A4 inhibitors
Reference: BNF; NICE TA77; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/lormetazepam/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- Benzodiazepine Conversion Calculator · Drug Conversion
- Cervical Cerclage Criteria (Short Cervix / Preterm Risk) · Preterm Labour
- Withdrawal Assessment Tool (WAT-1) for Paediatric Iatrogenic Withdrawal · Critical Care
- Brief Pain Inventory — Short Form (BPI-SF) · Pain
- CIWA-Ar — Alcohol Withdrawal Scale · Diagnosis
- Montreal Cognitive — Short Screening for Substance Misuse · Substance Misuse Screening
Pathways
- Acute Behavioural Disturbance / Rapid Tranquillisation · RCEM 2022; RCPsych 2022; NICE NG10
- Self-Harm Presentation · NICE NG225 (2022)
- Capacity Assessment (Mental Capacity Act) · MCA 2005; Code of Practice
- Acute Psychosis Management · NICE CG178 2014
- Depression Management · NICE CG90 2022
- Lithium Therapy Monitoring · NICE CG185 / BNF