Therapeutic Effects of Tamsulosin in Nightmare Disorder: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over, Pilot Study.
Drug research February 1, 2024 Negin Naderifar, Elnaz Roohi, Ali Sharifi et al.
A small pilot study tested whether tamsulosin, a drug that blocks specific adrenoceptors, could reduce nightmares. In a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial, patients took either tamsulosin 0.4 mg daily or a placebo for four weeks, then switched after a two-week washout. Nightmare severity, measured by the Disturbing Dreams and Nightmares Severity Index, decreased after tamsulosin, with a statistical trend toward significance in one analysis and a significant difference in another. Placebo also reduced scores, but not significantly in one analysis. Tamsulosin may help treat nightmare disorder, but larger trials are needed.