Benzodiazepines Raise Mortality in Alzheimer's.
Benzodiazepine and related drug use is associated with a 40 percent increase in mortality among people with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study (International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, Nov. 15,2017). The researchers compared 10,380 new users of these drugs with 20,760 people who did not use the drugs. The risk of death was increased right from the initiation of benzodiazepine and related drug use, and likely results from the adverse effects of these drugs, which include fall-related injuries such as hip fractures, as well as pneumonia and stroke. Several treatment guidelines state that nonpharmacological options should be the first-line treatment for anxiety, agitation and insomnia in people with dementia. Unfortunately, benzodiazepines and related drugs are still frequently used in the treatment of these symptoms.
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|Publication:||Focus on Healthy Aging|
|Date:||Jan 27, 2018|
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