Sleeping Pills Wake Up Comatose Patients

All I can say is WOW. I know, I know, I’m digressing like I always do but I think this is important enough to talk about.

Who would’ve thought that the well-known and often abused sleeping pill Stilnox (Zolpidem) can wake up patients in Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) aka comatose patients? It’s heartening to know that there is hope for those who are often left helpless taking care of brain-damaged family members.

From the Mail on Sunday:

Louis Viljoen, who was in a persistent vegetative state after being hit by a lorry (a truck) while out riding his bike, was first given the sleeping to control involuntary spasms.

To the amazement of staff at the Ikaya Tinivorster rehabilitation centre in Springs, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Louis began to speak for the first time in five years.

That event sparked a string of other miracles across the globe.

From the Guardian Unlimited:

Many stroke victims, patients with head injuries and those whose brains have been deprived of oxygen, such as near-drowning cases, have reported significant improvement in speech, motor functions and concentration after taking the drug.

In other countries, Zolpidem is being sold under the brand name Ambien. If you know anyone who has relatives suffering from PVS, informing them of this breakthrough may give them a glimmer of hope.