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Quviviq vs. Ambien

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Quviviq

(daridorexant)

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Zolpidem

 

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Summary for Quviviq

Prescription only

Quviviq (daridorexant) is an orexin antagonist that's used as a sleeping pill to help adults fall and stay asleep. It's available as a tablet that you take once every night, about 30 minutes before bedtime. You should take Quviviq (daridorexant) only if you can get at least 7 hours of sleep before waking up the next day. This medication might cause side effects like headache, daytime sleepiness, and dizziness. It's a schedule IV controlled substance because it has a risk for misuse.

Indications for Quviviq

  • Trouble falling or staying asleep (insomnia)

Pros and Cons for Quviviq

Pros

Cons

  • Should only take if you plan to sleep for at least 7 hours (otherwise you could feel overly sleepy or groggy during the daytime)
  • Hasn't been studied in children
  • Brand name only

Common Side Effects for Quviviq

  • Headache (up to 7%)
  • Sleepiness or fatigue (up to 6%)

Warnings for Quviviq

  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Suicidal thoughts and behaviors or worsening depression
  • Sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cataplexy-like symptoms
  • Abnormal sleep behaviors
  • Caution in people with breathing problems

Summary for Ambien

Prescription only

Zolpidem is a sleeping pill used to treat insomnia, a condition where you have trouble falling or staying asleep. The dose is typically taken at bedtime to help you sleep. Since it's a controlled substance, it has a risk of misuse and dependency. Zolpidem should only be taken for a short period of time, especially since the medication can cause side effects like dizziness, daytime sleepiness, sleepwalking, or sleep driving. It comes as an oral tablet or capsule that you swallow and a sublingual tablet that you place under your tongue.

Indications for Ambien

Pros and Cons for Ambien

Pros

  • Works quickly within 15 to 30 minutes to help you feel sleepy
  • Available as a lower-cost generic medication
  • Comes in multiple strengths which can be helpful to determine the right dose for you
  • Available as a tablet that dissolves under your tongue if you have trouble swallowing pills

Cons

  • Can only be used for short-term treatment of insomnia
  • Has a serious risk of nighttime sleep behaviors, such as sleepwalking, sleep driving, or sleep eating
  • Can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, such as stomach cramps, sweating, or vomiting, when stopped suddenly
  • Is a controlled substance with a risk of misuse and dependence

Common Side Effects for Ambien

  • Headache (7%)
  • Sleepiness (2%)
  • Dizziness (1%)
  • Diarrhea (1%)

Warnings for Ambien

  • Abnormal sleep behaviors
  • Daytime sleepiness and lowered alertness
  • Severe allergic reaction
  • Abnormal thoughts, behavior changes, and depression
  • Slowed breathing
  • Liver damage in people with liver problems
  • Withdrawal symptoms

Prices with our coupons for Quviviq vs. Ambien

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Quviviq30 tablets / 50mg
$135.00$621.06
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Zolpidem30 tablets / 10mg
$11.16$18.94
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