Benzodiazepines increase the risk of dementia by 60%

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 345 e:6231 27 Sep 2012

Study title and authors:
Benzodiazepine use and risk of dementia: prospective population based study

Sophie Billioti de Gage, Bernard Bégaud, Fabienne Bazin, Hélène Verdoux, Jean-François Dartigues, Karine Pérès, Tobias Kurth, Antoine Pariente. 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e6231.pdf%2Bhtml

The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between the use of benzodiazepines and dementia. The study included 1,063 men and women, average age 78 years, who were followed for 15 years.

 

Benzodiazepines are a group of medications which have been used since the 1960s to treat anxiety, epileptic seizures, mania, alcohol withdrawal and sleeping problems.

 

The list below shows some of the different generic and brand names of benzodiazepines.

• diazepam - Valium, Ducene, Antenex
• oxazepam - Serepax, Murelax, Alepam
• nitrazepam - Mogadon, Alodorm
• temazepam - Euhypnos, Normison, Temaze
• lorazepam - Ativan
• flunitrazepam - Rohypnol, Hypnodorm
• bromazepam - Lexotan
• clonazepam - Rivotril

The study found that users of benzodiazepines had a 60% increased risk of dementia compared to non-users.