back
Support Global Action on
Aging!
Thanks!
|
 |
AGS: Benzodiazepines Linked to Declines in Elderly
By
Roberta Friedman, PhD
Doctor's
Guide, May 20, 2003
BALTIMORE, MD - Older women who use benzodiazepines for prolonged periods
or at higher doses can increase their risk of declines in physical
abilities, according to findings reported here May 16th at the
Annual Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.
Investigator Shelly Gray, PharmD, of the pharmacy department at University
of Washington, in Seattle, presented the 4-year, prospective, cohort
study, which included 885 women older than 70 years (mean 77.7 years).
"I think there is a trend not to use" benzodiazepines in the
elderly, she said, but acknowledged that many elderly are addicted to
them.
Investigators used the database of the Iowa Established Populations for
Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly. All women were Caucasian and 41% had
less than 12 years of education.
The women were all given a battery of performance tests in 1988 and 1992
to assess standing balance, walking speed, and time to rise from a chair
five times. These measures were pooled into a single score of 0 to 12,
with 12 representing best functioning. Average baseline score was 7.8,
with median loss of a point on the score in 4 years.
Ninety women (10.2%) reported using benzodiazepines at baseline, including
temazepam, lorazepam, and alprazolam as well as diazepam. They were found
to be 2.64 times more likely to have their score decreased significantly
over the 4 years of follow up.
Results revealed greater declines for the 90 women who reported daily use
of the drug after adjusting for baseline physical performance, demographic
characteristics, health status, and health behaviours (P<.001). The
decline was related to use of higher doses than those recommended for use
in the elderly (P<.001), women whose dose was within those in the range
recommended by the guidelines did not have a higher risk (P<.246), Dr.
Gray said.
Current use of the drugs, compared to not currently taking them, was
associated with a greater decline in physical performance. This difference
in risk for physical decline was statistically significant (p<0.001).
Women who used the drugs for more than 3 years had greater declines in
physical performance (P<.001).
Dosing of the class of drugs in the elderly depends on the drug, said Dr.
Gray, with diazepam requiring a lower starting dose, and temazepam not
needing a lower dose for older patients. The study defined recommended
dose as the suggested starting dose for the elderly.
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use | Privacy
Policy | Contact Us
|
