Method of treating hypersomnia sleep disturbance or insomnia sleep disturbance that is secondary to another condition

Abstract

The method of this invention is directed to a treatment of hypersomnia or insomnia that is secondary to another condition in men and women by administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of chromium in a pharmaceutically acceptable form, for instance in conjunction with the administration of another composition to treat the other condition, such as a standard antidepressant composition, such as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor composition. Chromium is administered to the patient at dosages in a preferred range of about 200 to about 500 micrograms chromium.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of treating hypersomnia or insomnia that is secondary to another condition in a patient, the method comprising the steps of (a) administering a therapeutically effective amount of chromium in a pharmaceutically acceptable form to a patient in need thereof; and (b) relieving secondary hypersomnia or secondary insomnia in the patient by said administering of said therapeutically effective amount of chromium.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 50 μg to about 1,000 μg daily.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 100 μg to about 600 μg daily.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 200 μg to about 500 μg daily.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered at least once a day.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered at least twice a day.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered three times a day.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 1 μg to about 10 μg per kilogram body weight of the patient daily.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 2 μg to about 8 μg per kilogram body weight of the patient daily.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 4.5 μg to about 6 μg per kilogram body weight of the patient daily.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein chromium comprises chromium picolinate.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the chromium picolinate is administered alone.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the other condition comprises depression or pre-menstrual syndrome.  
     
     
         14 . A method of treating hypersomnia or insomnia that is secondary to another condition in a patient, the method comprising the steps of (a) administering a therapeutically effective amount of chromium in a pharmaceutically acceptable form to a patient in need thereof, said treating of secondary hypersomnia or secondary insomnia being in conjunction with administering to the patient another composition to treat the other condition; and (b) relieving secondary hypersomnia in the patient by said administering of said therapeutically effective amount of chromium.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 50 μg to about 1,000 μg daily.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 100 μg to about 600 μg daily.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 200 μg to about 500 μg daily.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered at least once a day.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered at least twice a day.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered three times a day.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 1 μg to about 10 μg per kilogram body weight of the patient daily.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 2 μg to about 8 μg per kilogram body weight of the patient daily.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein chromium is administered in a dose ranging from about 4.5 μg to about 6 μg per kilogram body weight of the patient daily.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein chromium comprises chromium picolinate.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the other condition comprises depression or pre-menstrual syndrome.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the other composition comprises a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor comprises sertraline or paroxetine.