Back to Search
Start Over
The elimination half-life of benzodiazepines and fall risk: two prospective observational studies.
- Source :
-
Age and ageing [Age Ageing] 2013 Nov; Vol. 42 (6), pp. 764-70. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Jul 30. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Background: the STOPP criteria advise against the use of long-acting benzodiazepines (LBs).<br />Objective: to study whether LBs are associated with a higher fall risk than short-acting benzodiazepines (SBs) (elimination half-life ≤ 10 h).<br />Methods: we used base-line data and prospective fall follow-up from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, a longitudinal cohort study including 1,509 community-dwelling older persons (Study 1) and from a separate fall prevention study with 564 older persons after a fall (Study 2). Time to the first fall after inclusion and number of falls in the first year after inclusion were the primary endpoints.<br />Results: both in Study 1 and Study 2 the use of SBs was associated with time to the first fall, hazard ratio (HR) 1.62 (95% CI: 1.03-2.56) and HR 1.64 (95% CI: 1.19-2.26),respectively. LBs were not significantly associated with time to first fall, HR 1.40 (0.85-2.31) and HR 1.08 (0.72-1.62). In both studies, the use of SBs was also associated with number of falls, odds ratio (OR) 1.28 (95% CI: 1.01-1.61) and OR 1.37 (95% CI: 1.10-1.70). LBs were not significantly associated with number of falls, OR 1.23 (0.96-1.57) and 1.10 (0.82-1.48).<br />Conclusions: the use of SBs is not associated with a lower fall risk compared with LBs. The use of both SBs and LBs by old persons should be strongly discouraged.
- Subjects :
- Accidental Falls prevention & control
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Female
Half-Life
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Netherlands
Patient Selection
Prospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Accidental Falls statistics & numerical data
Benzodiazepines adverse effects
Benzodiazepines pharmacokinetics
Hypnotics and Sedatives adverse effects
Hypnotics and Sedatives pharmacokinetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1468-2834
- Volume :
- 42
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Age and ageing
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23900130
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/aft089