Benzodiazepines in older adults a review of clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and guidelines

The use of benzodiazepines has been associated with several adverse effects including, ataxia, dizziness, over-sedation, anterograde amnesia, and dependence. The severity of adverse effects, particularly those associated with the central nervous system, may be greater in older adults. Therefore, clo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: McIntosh, Brendan, Clark, Michelle (Author), Spry, Carolyn (Author)
Corporate Author: Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Ottaw, ON Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health January 2011, 2011
Series:Rapid response report : peer-reviewed summary with critical appraisal
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
Description
Summary:The use of benzodiazepines has been associated with several adverse effects including, ataxia, dizziness, over-sedation, anterograde amnesia, and dependence. The severity of adverse effects, particularly those associated with the central nervous system, may be greater in older adults. Therefore, close monitoring is typically recommended when benzodiazepines are used by older adults. In addition, several reviews and guidelines recommend that the use of long-acting benzodiazepines by older adults be avoided. High utilization by older adults and documented safety concerns indicate that a review of the evidence on the use of benzodiazepines by older adults is warranted
Item Description:Title from PDF title page
Physical Description:1 PDF file (iv, 24 pages) illustration