Can a nighttime sleep pill cut painkiller use after knee surgery?
NCT ID NCT07801742
First seen Sep 03, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether zolpidem, a common sleep medication, can improve sleep quality and reduce painkiller use in adults recovering from total knee replacement. Half of the participants take zolpidem 10 mg each night for two weeks after leaving the hospital, while the other half take a placebo. Neither the patients nor their doctors know which treatment they receive. Researchers measure pain intensity, sleep quality, pain medication use, and recovery to see if better sleep leads to better outcomes.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- zolpidem, a sleep medication, taken as 10 mg tablets nightly for 14 nights after knee replacement surgery
- What this could lead to
- If it works, zolpidem could help people sleep better and use fewer painkillers after knee replacement surgery, potentially speeding recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial, so results may not apply broadly. Zolpidem can cause side effects like drowsiness or dizziness, and improving sleep may not reduce pain or opioid use.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
-
54 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Aug 2025
- Finished
-
Jun 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years. * Undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). * Ability to understand the study procedures. * Ability to provide written informed consent. * Ability to complete the postoperative questionnaires. Exclusion Criteria: * History of hypersensitivity to zolpidem or other hypnotic agents. * Revision total knee arthroplasty. * Arthroplasty performed for fracture. * Preoperative use of sleep medications. * Obstructive sleep apnea. * Severe respiratory insufficiency. * Severe hepatic disease. * Cognitive impairment preventing reliable assessment.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Postoperative pain management in total knee arthroplasty are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Sanatorio Allende
Córdoba, Córdoba Province, 5000, Argentina
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.