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Symptoms Associated with Long-term Benzodiazepine Use in Elderly Individuals Aged 65 Years and Older: A Longitudinal Descriptive Study
- Source :
- International Journal of Gerontology, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 34-39 (2015)
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- summary Background: Recent epidemiologic studies have shown that the use of psychotropics is associated with many symptoms and may result in dependence and tolerance among elderly individuals. The aim of this study was to describe the symptoms related to withdrawal or dose reduction of long-term benzodiazepine (BZD) or BZD-related drugs (RDs) use and to compare them with nonuse of these drugs in community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and older. Methods: The study was a post hoc analysis embedded in a 12-month randomized, controlled fallprevention trial that included withdrawal of BZDs and RDs. The participants (n ¼ 248) in the intervention group were divided into the following four groups according to their use of BZDs/RDs at baseline and follow-up: (1) withdrawal (WG), (2) reduction (RG), (3) unchanged (UG), and (4) nonusers (NUG). Differences in symptom changes were compared between and within these four groups. Results: Using BZD/RD was associated with numerous symptoms at baseline and during the intervention. At follow-up, those symptoms reduced significantly among all participants. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the changes of symptoms during the follow-up. Selfperceived health improved in only NUG (p < 0.001), but not in the other groups (WG, RG, and UG). Conclusion: Withdrawal or reduction of BZD/RD produced positive effects on physical, psychological, or cognitive symptoms among all participants, but no differences between the groups were detected. We recommend that clinical goals should be carefully assessed against the risks of long-term BZD/RD use, and that withdrawal interventions should be initiated for community-dwelling users aged 65 and older, especially those long-term users who may already be experiencing adverse drug effects.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
medicine.drug_class
Population
Psychological intervention
reduction
lcsh:Geriatrics
law.invention
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Randomized controlled trial
law
Internal medicine
Intervention (counseling)
Post-hoc analysis
medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
education
Psychiatry
Benzodiazepine
education.field_of_study
Cognitive Symptoms
business.industry
psychotropics
withdrawal
ta3141
3. Good health
lcsh:RC952-954.6
aged
symptoms
Dose reduction
Geriatrics and Gerontology
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18739598
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Journal of Gerontology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....8bc4cecae165a3daccc75ee1e586df1a