A popular sedative has been linked with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Benzodiazepines, which are widely prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia, have been associated with a heightened risk of developing the condition, particularly for long-term users, a new study suggests.
Researchers cautioned that unwarranted long-term use of the drugs should be considered a public health concern.
The study, published on www.thebmj.com, examined data from a health insurance database in Quebec.
French and Canadian researchers identified 1,700 elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 7,000 healthy people for comparison.
They found that past use of benzodiazepines for three months or more was associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The risk varied between 43% and 51%, they found.
The strength of association increased with the longer exposure, they found. It also increased if people used long-acting benzodiazepines rather than short-acting ones.
“Our study reinforces the suspicion of an increased risk of Alzheimer-type dementia among benzodiazepine users, particularly long-term users, and provides arguments for carefully evaluating the indications for use of this drug class,” the authors wrote.
Source: Irish Examiner, 09/09/14
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