Risk of a new benzodiazepine prescription in relation to recent hospitalization

Recent hospitalization may substantially increase the risk of new benzodiazepane prescriptions in older patients. Researchers found frequent prescribing of a benzodiazepane to alleviate insomnia three times more likely in older people with a recent history of hospitalization than in comparable patients with other prescriptions. Benzodiazepanes were also more often prescribed for patients with health problems requiring multiple medications. Even short-term use of benzodiazepanes represents a risk of falling and injury.