Sleeping Pills Linked to Fracture Risk

Older adults who are newly prescribed sleeping pills are at significant risk for hip fracture, according to a recent study review (PLOS ONE, April 27). The review looked at a range of benzodiazepines (which previous studies have associated with a greater risk for fracture), including diazepam, lorazepam, and temazepam, as well as non-benzodiazepine drugs that are considered safer than benzodiazepines (like zolpidem, zaleplon, and zopiclone, which are often referred to as “Z-drugs”). New users of sleeping pills experienced nearly two and a half times the fracture rate when compared with older people not taking the drugs. Those who used the drugs for 15 to 30 days had an estimated 53 percent increase in fracture risk, while those who had used them for over 30 days had a 20 percent increased risk of fracture.  

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