Are Sleep Medications A Risk To The Elderly? Sleep Physician Srujal Shah June 7, 2013 It was reported on January 10, 2013 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that a connection between Zolpidem and an increased risk of impaired mental and motor function, specifically in the morning, could be found in people using Zolpidem (1). This ingredient can be found in Ambien, Ambien CR, Edular, and Zolpimist (2). Some reactions to Zolpidem have included dizziness, behavior changes, agitation, drowsiness, and hallucinations. Others reported driving when not fully awake, referred to as ‘sleep driving’ (2) and they have found these impairments have been connected with a significant increase in motor vehicle accidents for all age groups, and an increased risk for falls in the elderly.
