雅思阅读词汇第1篇如何减少闪电危害ReducetheHarmofLightningantenna天线breathing呼吸cardiacarrest向博(动)停止雅思conductive传导的cond下面是小编为大家整理的雅思阅读词汇热门19篇,供大家参考。
雅思阅读词汇 第1篇
如何减少闪电危害Reduce the Harm of Lightning
antenna天线
breathing呼吸
cardiac arrest向博(动)停止雅思
conductive传导的
conductivity传导性
conductor of electricity电导体
conductor导体
confusion混乱，混淆
connector连接器
crush压碎，碾碎，(使)变形
cumulus积云，堆积
current电流
dangerous危险的
disassociate(使)分离
discontinue停止，废止
dwelling住处
electric power电力，电功率
electrical appliance电器
electrical potential电能
electrocution电死
evaporation蒸发(作用)
extinguisher熄灭者，灭火器
雅思阅读词汇 第2篇
关于词典
有同学在碰到生词的时候第一件事情就是去翻词典.这是很自然的,在某些情况下也是对的做法.至少这证明这个学生想学.
但是,关于词典我想说的是在阅读的时候不要轻易使用词典.原因很简单：用词典太多不利于英语学习.词典像很多工具一样,用多了是很危险的事情.
当然词典不是禁书,但我们要学会怎么样正确使用词典.
从词典中解放出来
首先,要多读.
老外的5万词汇量不是老师教会的,他们是在真正的阅读中反复碰到这些单词之后学到的.光在课堂里面是绝对不可能有足够的机会去反复碰到这个单词.
因此,必须在课外泛读.泛读是唯一一个最有效的提高词汇量的方法.
当我们在谈阅读技能的时候,我们一般都认为学生有“足够”的词汇量.一般说来,我们需要大概5千左右的词汇量才能开始独立自主地阅读.
但事实上,五千的词汇量也是超过很多学生的词汇量的.很多同学可能只有3000左右.3000个左右的词汇量是我们的词汇底线.三千个词汇可能不能让我们真正地独立阅读,但是至少可以让我们开始尝试独立阅读了.3000个词包括GSL+AWL的词.如果没有3000个词,可能我们要做的不是什么提高阅读技巧了,因为低于三千的词汇量进行雅思阅读碰到的将是满篇满篇的生词.
但是,我并不是说在阅读的时候需要认识每个词.我们怎么在阅读的时候处理一些不认识的词呢?哪些词是可以略过而不会影响我们对篇章的理解的呢?
积极词汇,接受性词汇,垃圾词汇
单词的重要性是不一样的.我们应该知道哪些词是可以忽略的.这样才能去学习那些真正重要的词汇.
想象一下我们使用中文的时候,哪些词是我们自己会用的,哪些词是我们只认识却不会用的,哪些甚至是我们自己不认识的.比如说耄耋这个词.词汇的学习过程是从开始的不认识,到认识,到最终会用.这个过程是很慢的.所以必须经常在真实的语境中接触到这个单词.
但是有些单词是碰到立马就要略过的,这种词我们可以把它称为所谓的垃圾词汇.要知道当我们只有3千个词汇的时候却花时间学一些像chrysanthemum (菊花), anemia(贫血)这样的词是完全没有必要的.
当然,没有哪一个词是真正的垃圾词汇,这要取决于阅读时候的上下文,阅读者的水平,以及阅读的目的.如果你是个医生,对你来说anemia就是必备单词了,其重要性可能和apple对孩子的重要性一样.如果你又正好像我读过一本叫做chrysanthemum and sword(菊与刀)的书,你就会对chrysanthemum这个所谓的垃圾词也印象深刻了.
雅思阅读词汇 第3篇
K 1000元
agcy agency 经销商
data pro data processing 数据处理
perm permanent 永久性的
Admin administrative 行政的
Jr junior 初级
ad/adv advertising 广告
dept department 部
pls please 请
dir director 董事
pos position 职位
knowl knowledge 知识
mgr manager 经理
clk clerk (办公室)职员
m-f monday-friday 从周一到周五
co company 公司
mo month 月
coll college 大专(学历)
nec necessary 必要的
comm commission 佣金
oppty opportunity 机会
corp cororation (有限)公司
ot overtime 超时
appt appointment 约会、预约
loc location 位置、场所
mech mechanic 机械的
bus business 商业、生意
div division 分工、部门
pref preference (有经验者)优先
eqpt equipment 装备
prev previous 有先前(经验)
etc and so on 等等
P/T part time 非全日制
eves evenings 晚上
asst assistant 助理
Lv/lvl level 级/层
attn attention 给, 与…联系
mach machine 机器
temp temporarily 临时性(工作)
HS high school 高中(学历)
trans transportation 交通
immed immediate 立即
trnee trainee 实习生
exc excellent 很好的
rel reliable 可靠的
exp experience 经验
reps Representative (销售)代表
exp’d experienced 有经验的
req required 需要
ext extension 延伸、扩展
yr(s) Year(s) 年
sh shorthand 人手不足
gd good 好
sr senior 资深
bkgd background 背景
manuf/mf manufacturing 制造
bldg building 建筑物、大楼
refs references 推荐信
hrly hourly 每小时
grad graduate 毕业
stdnt student 学生
hosp hospital 医院
stmts statements 报告
hqtrs headquarters 总部
tech technical 技术上
hr hour 小时
tel/ph telephone 电话
雅思G类阅读词汇及简写
incl including 包括
typ typing/typist 打字/打字员
sal salary 工资
ben fringe benefits 额外福利
secty secretary 秘书
F/T full time 全日制
inexp inexperienced 无经验的
Wpm words per minute 打字/每分钟
int’l international 国际性的
ind industrial 工业的
wk week/work 周/工作
雅思阅读词汇 第4篇
trans transportation 交通
immed immediate 立即
trnee trainee 实习生
exc excellent 很好的
rel reliable 可靠的
exp experience 经验
reps Representative (销售)代表
exp’d experienced 有经验的
req required 需要
ext extension 延伸、扩展
yr(s) Year(s) 年
sh shorthand 人手不足
gd good 好
sr senior 资深
bkgd background 背景
manuf/mf manufacturing 制造
bldg building 建筑物、大楼
refs references 推荐信
hrly hourly 每小时
grad graduate 毕业
stdnt student 学生
hosp hospital 医院
stmts statements 报告
hqtrs headquarters 总部
tech technical 技术上
hr hour 小时
tel/ph telephone 电话
雅思阅读词汇 第5篇
雅思阅读是中国考生听说读写四部分中最拿手的，平均分是最高的，但是想要突破雅思阅读7分甚至更高，在平时备考中则需要从以下几个层面有意识的加强训练。
一、要有目的地拓宽阅读量
雅思阅读考试文章涉及范文比较广，有人文社科类的、自然科学类的，这两大类里又细分很多领域，比如教育、经济、天文、地理、历史等等，因此，想要取得雅思阅读高分势必要有意识的拓宽自己的阅读面和阅读量。环球教育雅思阅读老师建议大家，平时多看英语杂志期刊、网站，例如The Economist 、New Scientist 、time、Nature、Discover等。
只有广泛的知识面，才能在雅思阅读中更容易理解文章大意，从而有助于理解文章的细节信息及找到准确答案。
二、要具备扎实的语言功底
要具备扎实的语言功底，主要是指要有一定词汇量和语法知识。词汇量最能体现语言功底，词汇量直接影响的就是考生对于文章细节的理解，进而影响做题速度和准确率，所以在雅思学习的任何阶段都不可忽略词汇的记忆。而有关词汇记忆方法和技巧呢，大家可以在环球教育雅思词汇一栏去查看，这里不再详述。
扎实的语言功底另一方面就是指要有较好的语法知识，这也是影响文章理解的重要因素。雅思阅读中最多的就是各种从句、复合句，对于这些长难句的理解最不可忽视的就是对句子的语法分析，熟悉语法规律才能在遇到这些长难句时准确快速的理解文章意思。因此，烤鸭们在备考雅思阅读时，务必要巩固语法知识的学习。
三、要了解雅思阅读考试规律和题型解题技巧
雅思阅读考试的出题规律、题型解题技巧，通常是通过大量做题总结出来的。当然环球教育雅思阅读老师通过多年的教学研究经验、考试经验，总结出了许多雅思阅读做题的技巧方法供大家学习，以便让大家更快地了解并熟练使用这些规律和技巧，具体的答题技巧、出题规律，以往在雅思阅读备考里面已经讲过很多，大家可以去查阅。
雅思阅读词汇 第6篇
[daɪˈvɜːsɪti]
差异(性);不同(点)
[ɪkˈsepʃn]
不包括在内的人(或物);例外
[ɪkˈsepʃənl]
杰出的;优秀的
[flʌks]
连续的改变;不稳定的状态
[grʌdʒ]
怨恨某事物;勉强做某事或给某事物
[ˌhɒməˈdʒiːniəs]
由同类部分组成的
[ɪnˈtegrəti]
诚实而正直
[ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt]
聪明的;有才智的;有头脑的
[ˈmɪtɪgeɪt]
() 减轻;缓和
[ˌmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃn]
修改;改进
[ˈɔːkɪstrə]
交响乐团
[prəʊb]
探究;详尽调查
盘问;探究
[prəˈdɪdʒəs]
巨大的;伟大的
[ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvəti]
生产率;生产效率
[rɪˈstrɪkʃn]
限制;限定
[rɪˈtɑːd]
减缓;减慢
[stɪf]
不易弯曲、打褶、移动、变形等的;坚硬的;僵直的
[ˈstaɪfəl]
扼杀;阻止
[ˈstimjʊləs]
使生物体产生反应之物;刺激物
[ˈstɪpjʊleɪt]
()讲明，规定(某要求)
[streɪn]
劳损;扭伤;压力;困境;紧张
[ˈtræŋkwɪl]
安静的
[trænˈsend]
超出或超越(经验、信念、力量或描绘等的)范围
[ˌʌnˈwaɪnd]
放松;轻松
[ˌʌnˈjiːldɪŋ]
坚定的;固执的
[ˌɜːbənaɪˈzeiʃn]
(AmE urbanization)都市化，文雅化
[əˈreɪ]
展示;显示;一系列
[ˈærəgənt]
傲慢的;自大的
[ˈɑːtɪfækt]
人工制品(尤指有考古价值的工具或武器)
[braʊz]
浏览，翻阅
雅思阅读词汇 第7篇
appt appointment 约会、预约
loc location 位置、场所
mech mechanic 机械的
bus business 商业、生意
div division 分工、部门
pref preference (有经验者)优先
eqpt equipment 装备
prev previous 有先前(经验)
etc and so on 等等
P/T part time 非全日制
eves evenings 晚上
asst assistant 助理
Lv/lvl level 级/层
attn attention 给, 与…联系
mach machine 机器
temp temporarily 临时性(工作)
HS high school 高中(学历)
雅思阅读词汇 第8篇
雅思阅读保分班里很多烤鸭反应雅思阅读时间不够，题做不完，那么想要取得雅思阅读高分，我们就应该合理控制做题时间，如何控制且看下面小编教你的方法。
首先就是要学会调整做题顺序。很多同学习惯性按照题目顺序做题，比如标题配对题在第一个，就先做标题配对题，然后再做后面的判断题\选择题等细节类题目小编建议先做细节类的题目，做完细节题之后，文章基本读了两遍，对于每段大致讲什么会有一个比较深刻的印象，再去做段落题速度会快一些。
其次就是舍弃原理，不用做完三篇文章，只要认认真真做完两篇半，以拿到7分为目标。有时候换一种思维会有一种不同的结果，为什么一定要完完整整的做完三篇雅思阅读文章呢?雅思阅读保分班老师认为有时候认认真真、不紧不慢的做完两篇半，其正确率也许比着急忙慌做完三篇的效果更好。不过这里就涉及到如何取舍的问题，大家一般是做到第三篇文章时时间不够， 一般一篇文章会有三种题型，毫无疑问，你要先做的是那些无法蒙或者很难蒙对的题，比如填词类的题(填空题、完成句子题、问答题等)。你要舍的是那些容易蒙的题，比如选择题，其次是判断题。
最后雅思阅读保分班老师建议不要纠结于某道题而浪费大量的时间。一套阅读含40道题，平均每道题只有分钟的做题时间。如果做题的时候，你停留在此题时间超过2分钟，那就果断放弃此题吧。另外，遇到类似于人名观点配对、句子配对、段落大意题等多对多题型时，如两个答案举棋不定，先把其他题解决，再回过头做此题。
相信只要同学们按照上面小编介绍的三个方法进行练习，一定能控制好考试时间，从而取得雅思阅读高分。
雅思阅读词汇 第9篇
K 1000元
agcy agency 经销商
data pro data processing 数据处理
perm permanent 永久性的
Admin administrative 行政的
Jr junior 初级
ad/adv advertising 广告
dept department 部
pls please 请
dir director 董事
pos position 职位
knowl knowledge 知识
mgr manager 经理
clk clerk (办公室)职员
m-f monday-friday 从周一到周五
co company 公司
mo month 月
coll college 大专(学历)
nec necessary 必要的
comm commission 佣金
oppty opportunity 机会
corp cororation (有限)公司
ot overtime 超时
雅思阅读词汇 第10篇
salmon pink 橙红色;
baby pink 浅粉红色;
shocking pink 鲜粉红色;
brown 褐色, 茶色;
beige 灰褐色;
chocolate 红褐色, 赭石色;
sandy beige 浅褐色;
camel 驼色;
amber 琥珀色;
khaki 卡其色;
maroon 褐红色;
moss green 苔绿色;
olive green 橄榄绿
雅思阅读词汇 第11篇
achievements 工作成就，业绩
administer 管理
adapted to 适应于
accomplish 完成(任务等)
appointed 被认命的
adept in 善于
authorized 委任的，核准的
behave 表现
break the record 打破纪录
breakthrough 关键问题的解决
conduct 经营，处理
雅思阅读词汇 第12篇
conservation 保护，保存 ( conserve) conversation
environmentalist = conservationist
acid 酸 酸的 (<>alkali)acid rain
carbon 碳 (C) charcoal (炭)carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide
fume exhaust smoke, fog, smog
petroleum 石油à petrol (BE) = gasoline/gas (AE)à unleaded petrol/gas
ozone 臭氧 (o + zone)ozone layer
ooze 渗出 渗出物
radiation 辐射ultraviolet(UV) radiation~ radioactive
greenhouse 温室greenhouse effect/gases
solar 太阳的 (solar energy)^ lunar (lunar calendar)
phenomenon 现象
catastrophe = disaster, cataclysm
deterioration 恶化 ( deteriorate)
extinction 灭绝 ( extinct)
species endangered species
drought 干旱 (^ “找它”)>>> famine flooding
recurrent 反复发生的re + (oc)cur + concurrent
inundate 淹没 ^ “淹掉它”
embankment 筑堤 (em + bank + ment)
sediment 沉积(物)= deposit
delta 三角洲the Pearl River Delta
alluvial 冲积的
desertification desert ( dessert)
dust-storm 沙尘暴^ thunderstorm, brainstorm
barren 贫瘠的，不育的，无效的
dune sand dunethe game “DUNE”!
attributable 归因于be attributable to…
deforestation 滥砍滥伐(森林)de + forest + ation<> afforestation/reforestation
log 原木，日志 伐木 logo
vegetation 植物，植被 vegetable, vegetarian
habitat 栖息地 habit (Habit is the second )
ecosystem 生态系统 (eco + system)~ ecology
viability viable “vi”: life养育能力One tool for assessing the impact of forestry on the ecosystem is population viability
demographic 人口统计的 demo(people) + graph(write) + ic
interdependence inter + dependence
counterbalance 使平衡，弥补 (=offset)counter(against) + balance
mechanism 机理，机制
precipitation 陡降，降水 ( precipice)<> evaporation
circulation 流通，循环
tide à tidal wave (海啸)<> ebb earthquake
typhoon ~ tornado, hurricane
meteorology 气象(学)
volcano 火山
eruption 喷发 ( erupt)volcanic eruption >>> lava
granite 花岗岩
imminent = impending eminent
Celsius 摄氏的 centigrade
Fahrenheit 华氏的
latitude 纬度(另) longitude, altitude
tropical (the) tropicstropical/torrid zone, temperate zone, frigid zone
glacier 冰川
dump 倾倒，倾销à anti-dumping
contaminate 弄脏 (à contaminant)
recycle 回收再利用
irreversible 不可逆的 (= irrevocable)
reclaim 开垦，改造 à reclamation
contentious 有争议的 ( contend)Many environmental issues today are highly
opt 选择(+ for) à option
prioritize 优先考虑 ( prior, priority)
雅思阅读词汇 第13篇
作为中国人,有时我们自己也会有不认识的汉字,外国人也是一样,并不一定每个词都熟悉,更何况我们这些正在抱佛脚的烤鸭们.而且时间紧迫,不允许我们把每个词都记得滚瓜烂熟,所以不如根据考试中的常见题材进行相应的专题复习,不仅速度快,效果也比按照单词表背诵要好.
advance 预发消息;预写消息
affair(e) 桃色新闻;绯闻
anecdote 趣闻轶事
assignment 采写任务
attribution 消息出处,消息来源
back alley news 小道消息
backgrounding 新闻背景
Bad news travels 坏事传千里
banner 通栏标题
beat 采写范围
blank 开天窗
body 新闻正文
boil 压缩(篇幅)
box 花边新闻
brief 简讯
bulletin 新闻简报
byline 署名文章
caption 图片说明
caricature 漫画
carry 刊登
cartoon 漫画
censor 审查(新闻稿件),新闻审查
chart 每周流行音乐排行版
clipping 剪报
column 专栏;栏目
columnist 专栏作家
continued story 连载故事;连载小说
contributing editor 特约编辑
contribution (投给报刊的)稿件;投稿
contributor 投稿人
copy desk 新闻编辑部
copy editor 文字编辑
correction 更正(启事)
correspondence column 读者来信专栏
correspondent 驻外记者;常驻外埠记者
cover 采访;采写
covergirl 封面女郎
covert coverage 隐性采访;秘密采访
crop 剪辑(图片)
crusade 宣传攻势
cut 插图 删减(字数)
cutline 插图说明
如果可以结合探索栏目或是国家地理等节目进行准备,效率会更高.因为有了视觉上的联想和故事生动的串联,在这种情况下,记住生词比看单词表要轻松的多,同时还要注意近义词的表达和积累,这在summary和是非题中都有体现.题目往往来个易容之术,殊不知真相就在眼前.比如“下降”一词,就至少有diminish,dwindle,plunge,plummet,等等,而词的用法和感情色彩有各自不同.前两者表示逐步下降,而后两者强调剧烈,突然的程度.另外要注意的是词性,最近几年,很多考生在词性方面吃了亏.如果大家可以预先估计一下所填词汇的词性和大意,不要想当然的填词,往往可以降低错误率.
最后提醒大家：每天背诵的数量和时间要根据自己的具体情况定,背诵要选择一天中头脑清晰、精力充沛的时候进行.此外,记住背单词的三大宗旨：一是贵在坚持;二是要遵循人的记忆规律,循环复习比一次性记忆有效;三,背诵的词汇只有能够自由运用到听、说、读、写各方面,才算“修成正果”.
雅思阅读词汇 第14篇
Answer keys and explanations:
True
See from the beginning: Zolpidem, sold under the brand names Ambien, Stilnoct and Stilnox, is widely prescribed to treat insomnia and other disorders such as sleep
False
See under the subtitle “Midnight snack”: Another case involved a woman who gained 23 kilograms over seven months while taking “It was only when she was discovered in front of an open refrigerator while asleep that the problem was resolved”…
Not Given
See under the subtitle “Midnight snack”: The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, meanwhile, has recorded 68 cases of adverse reactions to zolpidem from 20XX to (The time the drug was approved in the UK was not )
True
See under the subtitle “Midnight snack”: In one case, a transatlantic flight had to be diverted after a passenger caused havoc after taking
False
See under the subtitle “Tried and tested”: He says that unlike older types of sleep medications, zolpidem does not carry as great a risk of
Not Given
See under the subtitle “Tried and tested”: And Wright notes that some of the reports of “sleep-driving” linked to zolpidem can be easily explained: some patients have wrongly taken the drug right before leaving work in hopes that the medicine will kick in by the time they reach (No patients as office workers are mentioned in the )
C
See from the beginning: A newly published report from Australia’s Federal Health Department describes 104 cases of hallucinations and 62 cases of amnesia experienced by people taking zolpidem since marketing of the drug began there in The health department report also mentioned 16 cases of strange sleepwalking by people taking the
B
See the sentence in under the subtitle “Hypnotic effects” (The product information for prescribers advises that psychiatric adverse effects, including hallucinations, sleepwalking and nightmares, are more likely in the elderly, and treatment should be stopped if they ) and the sentence in under the subtitle “Tried and tested” (Doctors “not the product information” stress that the medication should be taken just before going to )
B
See under the subtitle “Tried and tested”: Sanofi-Aventis spokesperson Melissa Feltmann … says that “the safety profile [of zolpidem] is well established”.
674,500 (times)
See from the beginning: Various forms of the drug, made by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis, were prescribed 674,500 times in 20XX in the
(a) benzodiazepine-like (hypnotic)
See under the subtitle “Hypnotic effects”: The drug is a benzodiazepine-like hypnotic (类苯二氮催眠药)that promotes deep sleep by interacting with brain receptors for a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric
risky consequences
See under the subtitle “Hypnotic effects”: Patient advocacy groups … stress that strange sleepwalking and sleep-driving behaviours can have risky
Food & Drug (Administration)
See under the subtitle “Tried and tested”: The US Food & Drug Administration says it is continuing to "actively investigate" and collect information about cases linking zolpidem to unusual side
雅思阅读词汇 第15篇
Questions 1-6Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet write
TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage
FALSE if the statement is false according to the passage
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
Ambien, Stilnoct and Stilnox are brand names of one same drug treating
The woman’s obesity problem wasn’t resolved until she stopped taking
Zolpidem received approval in the UK in
The bizarre behaviour of a passenger after taking zolpidem resulted in the diversion of a flight bound for the other side of the
Zolpidem is the only sleep medication that doesn’t cause
The sleep-driving occurrence resulted from the wrong use of zolpidem by an office
Question 7-9Choose the appropriate letters A-D and Write them in boxes 7-9 on your answer
How many cases of bizarre behaviours are described in an official report from Australia?
68
104
182
240
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the product information about zolpidem?
Treatment should be stopped if side effects
Medication should be taken just before going to
Adverse effects are more likely in the
Side effects include nightmares, hallucinations and
Who claimed that the safety description of zolpidem was well established?
Kenneth Wright
Melissa Feltmann
Richard Millman
Vera Sharav
Questions 10-13Answer the following questions with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS each in boxes
How many times was French-made zolpidem prescribed in 20XX in Britain?
What kind of hypnotic is zolpidem as a drug which promotes deep sleep in patients?
What can sleepwalking and sleep-driving behaviours cause according to patient advocacy groups?
What US administration says that it has been investigating the cases relating zolpidem to unusual side effects?
雅思阅读词汇 第16篇
Individual Sports 体育项目
gymnastics 体操
gymnastic apparatus 体操器械
horizontal bar 单杠
parallel bars 双杠
rings 吊环
trapeze 秋千
wall bars 肋木
side horse, pommelled horse 鞍马
weight-lifting 举重
weights 重量级
boxing 拳击
Greece-Roman wrestling 古典式摔跤
hold, lock 揪钮
judo 柔道
fencing 击剑
雅思阅读词汇 第17篇
incl including 包括
typ typing/typist 打字/打字员
sal salary 工资
ben fringe benefits 额外福利
secty secretary 秘书
F/T full time 全日制
inexp inexperienced 无经验的
Wpm words per minute 打字/每分钟
int’l international 国际性的
ind industrial 工业的
wk week/work 周/工作
雅思阅读词汇 第18篇
admim administrative 行政的
Jr junior 初级
ad/adv advertising 广告
K 1000元 oppty opportunity 机会
corp cororation (有限)公司
ot overtime 超时
data pro data processing数据处理
perm permanent 永久性的
dept department 部
pls please 请
dir director 董事
pos position 职位
div division 分工、部门
雅思阅读词汇 第19篇
Sleep medication linked to bizarre behaviour
New evidence has linked a commonly prescribed sleep medication with bizarre behaviours, including a case in which a woman painted her front door in her
UK and Australian health agencies have released information about 240 cases of odd occurrences, including sleepwalking, amnesia and hallucinations among people taking the drug
While doctors say that zolpidem can offer much-needed relief for people with sleep disorders, they caution that these newly reported cases should prompt a closer look at its possible side
Zolpidem, sold under the brand names Ambien, Stilnoct and Stilnox, is widely prescribed to treat insomnia and other disorders such as sleep Various forms of the drug, made by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis, were prescribed 674,500 times in 20XX in the
A newly published report from Australia’s Federal Health Department describes 104 cases of hallucinations and 62 cases of amnesia experienced by people taking zolpidem since marketing of the drug began there in The health department report also mentioned 16 cases of strangesleepwalking by people taking the
Midnight snack
In one of these sleepwalking cases a patient woke with a paintbrush in her hand after painting the front door to her Another case involved a woman who gained 23 kilograms over seven months while taking “It was only when she was discovered in front of an open refrigerator while asleep that the problem was resolved,” according to the
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, meanwhile, has recorded 68 cases of adverse reactions to zolpidem from 20XX to
The newly reported cases in the UK and Australia add to a growing list of bizarre sleepwalking episodes linked to the drug in other countries, including reports of people sleep-driving while on the In one case, a transatlantic flight had to be diverted after a passenger caused havoc after taking
Hypnotic effects
There is no biological pathway that has been proven to connect zolpidem with these The drug is a benzodiazepine-like hypnotic that promotes deep sleep by interacting with brain receptors for a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric While parts of the brain become less active during deep sleep, the body can still move, making sleepwalking a
The product information for prescribers advises that psychiatric adverse effects, including hallucinations, sleepwalking and nightmares, are more likely in the elderly, and treatment should be stopped if they
Patient advocacy groups say they would like government health agencies and drug companies to take a closer look at the possible risks associated with sleep They stress that strange sleepwalking and sleep-driving behaviours can have risky
“When people do something in which they’re not in full control it’s always a danger,” says Vera Sharav of the New York-based Alliance for Human Research Protection, a US network that advocates responsible and ethical medical research
Tried and tested
“The more reports that come out about the potential side effects of the drug, the more research needs to be done to understand if these are real side effects,” says sleep researcher Kenneth Wright at the University of Colorado in Boulder,
Millions of people have taken the drug without experiencing any strange side effects, points out Richard Millman at Brown Medical School, director of the Sleep Disorders Center of Lifespan Hospitals in Providence, Rhode Island, He says that unlike older types of sleep medications, zolpidem does not carry as great a risk of
And Wright notes that some of the reports of “sleep-driving” linked to zolpidem can be easily explained: some patients have wrongly taken the drug right before leaving work in hopes that the medicine will kick in by the time they reach Doctors stress that the medication should be taken just before going to
The US Food & Drug Administration says it is continuing to "actively investigate" and collect information about cases linking zolpidem to unusual side
The Ambien label currently lists strange behaviour as a “special concern” for people taking the “It’s a possible rare adverse event,” says Sanofi-Aventis spokesperson Melissa Feltmann, adding that the strange sleepwalking behaviours “may not necessarily be caused by the drug” but instead result from an underlying She says that “the safety profile [of zolpidem] is well established”. The drug received approval in the US in
