MELATONIN

Course overview

SYNTHETIC MELATONIN IS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT. THE FDA DOES NOT REGULATE SUPPLEMENTS. CONSEQUENTLY, MELATONIN IS NOT OFFICIALLY FDA-APPROVED FOR ANY INDICATION. HOWEVER, MELATONIN RECEPTOR AGONISTS SUCH AS RAMELTEON AND TASIMELTEON ARE FDA-APPROVED FOR THE TREATMENT OF INSOMNIA. NON-FDA-APPROVED INDICATIONS FOR MELATONIN INCLUDE INSOMNIA. DESPITE THE LACK OF FDA APPROVAL, MELATONIN IS CONSIDERED THE FIRST-LINE PHARMACOLOGIC THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF INSOMNIA BY THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS (AAFP). IT IS RELATIVELY SAFE WITH A LOW RISK OF SIDE EFFECTS. THERE ARE OTHER INDICATIONS AS WELL SURROUNDING SLEEP-RELATED CONCERNS, INCLUDING SHIFT WORK AND JET LAG. THIS ACTIVITY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILE, PHARMACOLOGY, MONITORING, AND RELEVANT MELATONIN INTERACTIONS PERTINENT FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN TREATING PATIENTS WITH CONDITIONS WHERE IT IS OF CLINICAL VALUE.