Maria,a 30-year-old woman,visits Dr.Knowles with complaints of fatigue and sleeplessness.Dr.Knowles prescribes a drug to Maria to help her sleep better,which would also help reduce the fatigue.After discontinuation of the drug,Maria is unable to sleep properly at night because of nightmares and anxiety.Identify the most probable cause for this effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dr. Knowles most likely prescribed a barbiturate such as phenobarbital to treat Maria. When barbiturates are discontinued, patients often spend excess time in REM sleep during the next night or two so as to make up for the lost REM sleep (REM rebound). During the rebound period, there is increased dreaming that may cause restlessness, anxiety, and nightmares.

Maria,a 30-Year-Old Woman,visits Dr