MELATONIN

Course overview

SYNTHETIC MELATONIN IS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT. THE FDA DOES NOT REGULATE SUPPLEMENTS. THEREFORE, MELATONIN IS NOT OFFICIALLY FDA-APPROVED FOR ANY INDICATION. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL MELATONIN RECEPTOR AGONISTS ON THE MARKET, SUCH AS RAMELTEON AND TASIMELTEON, WHICH ARE FDA-APPROVED FOR THE TREATMENT OF INSOMNIA. NON-FDA APPROVED INDICATIONS FOR MELATONIN INCLUDE SLEEP; DESPITE THE LACK OF FDA APPROVAL, MELATONIN IS CONSIDERED 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 INTERACTIONS OF MELATONIN, PERTINENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CONDITIONS WHERE IT IS OF CLINICAL VALUE.