Study: Benzodiazepines Increase Risk of Hip Fracture

Benzodiazepine and related drug use increases the risk of hip fractures in patients with and without Alzheimer disease (AD) and lengthens the hospital stay of those with AD, according to new research.

The researchers conducted the Medication Use and Alzheimer’s Disease (MEDALZ) study to assess benzodiazepine and related drug use and hip fracture rates among community-dwelling individuals with and without AD.
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From 2005 to 2011, the researchers recruited 70,718 individuals with AD living in Finland and matched them with individuals without AD. Participants were included in the study if they did not take benzodiazepines or related drugs within the year preceding AD diagnosis and if they had no history of hip fracture.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that participants with and without AD who were taking benzodiazepines were more likely to have a hip fracture than those not taking such drugs.=

In addition, benzodiazepines were associated with a longer than 4-month post-fracture hospital stay in participants with AD but not in those without AD.

Benzodiazepine use during a hip fracture was not associated with 1-year mortality.

“Higher threshold in prescribing [benzodiazepine and related drugs] for neuropsychiatric symptoms might decrease the hip fracture rate and affect the length of hospital stay in persons with AD,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Saarelainen L, Tolppanen A-M, Koponen M, et al. Risk of hip fracture in benzodiazepine users with and without Alzheimer disease [published online November 12, 2016]. JAMDA. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2016.09.019.