Do benzodiazepines increase dementia risk?

07/11/2013

Many older people take benzodiazepines, which are given as sedatives or sleep aids. They can lead to dependence and also often have a number of side effects. Now, a research team investigated whether the use of the active ingredients can also lead to the development of dementia.

Although the medication should be taken as a rule only for a few weeks, a long-term therapy is not uncommon. This is especially true for seniors. French researchers from the University of Bordeaux in a cohort study investigated whether the restart of therapy with benzodiazepines in the following years is associated with an increased risk of dementia. (BMJ 2012; 345: e6231).

After taking into account risk factors such as depression, age and therapy with cardiovascular and antidiabetic medications, participants with newly initiated benzodiazepine therapy were estimated to have an approximately 40 percent increased risk of dementia.

However, the interpretation of the data is extremely difficult, the researchers say. The symptoms for which benzodiazepines are prescribed can often occur at the onset of a neurodegenerative disease. It is therefore unclear whether the use of benzodiazepines may mark the onset of dementia or actually be causative in its development. (Pm)