Older adults and withdrawal from benzodiazepine hypnotics in general practice: effects on cognitive function, sleep, mood and quality of life

@article{Curran2003OlderAA,
  title={Older adults and withdrawal from benzodiazepine hypnotics in general practice: effects on cognitive function, sleep, mood and quality of life},
  author={H. Curran and R. Collins and S. Fletcher and S. Kee and B. Woods and S. Iliffe},
  journal={Psychological Medicine},
  year={2003},
  volume={33},
  pages={1223 - 1237}
}
Background. Older adults are the main recipients of repeat prescriptions for benzodiazepine (BZD) hypnotics. BZDs can impair cognitive function and may not aid sleep when taken continuously for years. This study therefore aimed to determine if withdrawing from BZDs leads to changes in patients' cognitive function, quality of life, mood and sleep. Method. One hundred and ninety-two long-term users of BZD hypnotics, aged [ges ]65 years, were identified in 25 general practices. One hundred and… Expand
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Attitudes to long-term use of benzodiazepine hypnotics by older people in general practice: findings from interviews with service users and providers
TLDR
Patients and doctors had distinctly different views of the advantages, disadvantages and risks of stopping benzodiazepine hypnotic use, and an evidence-based approach to withdrawal efforts in primary care are necessary to reduce the consumption of medication that has little real benefit. Expand
Effect of withdrawal from long-term use of temazepam, zopiclone or zolpidem as hypnotic agents on cognition in older adults
TLDR
Long-term use of BDZ as hypnotic drugs by older adults is related to prolonged impairment of attentional and psychomotor cognitive functioning that persists for at least 6 months after withdrawal. Expand
Effects of tapering of long-term benzodiazepines on cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia receiving a second-generation antipsychotic
TLDR
Reduction or discontinuation of long-term daytime use of BZDs may be warranted in patients with schizophrenia treated with SGAs, as it may improve cognitive function, subjective QOL, and psychiatric symptoms with no significant adverse effects. Expand
Withdrawal from long‐term use of zopiclone, zolpidem and temazepam may improve perceived sleep and quality of life in older adults with primary insomnia
TLDR
It is suggested that sleep disturbances, daytime fatigue and impaired quality of life may resolve within 6 months of BZDA withdrawal, and results encourage withdrawal from chronic use of benzodiazepine‐type hypnotics, particularly in older subjects. Expand
Objective and subjective sleep quality: Melatonin versus placebo add-on treatment in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder withdrawing from long-term benzodiazepine use
TLDR
Melatonin had no effect on objective sleep efficiency, but significantly improved self-reported sleep quality, and reduced benzodiazepine dosage at the 24-week follow-up was associated with a significantly decreased proportion of stage 2 sleep. Expand
Psychological predictors of benzodiazepine discontinuation among older adults: Results from the PASSE 60.
BACKGROUND Long-term benzodiazepine (BZD) use among seniors is mostly inappropriate and associated with adverse health outcomes. To prevent these consequences, withdrawal is crucial, yet knowledge is… Expand
One-Year Evolution of Sleep Quality in Older Users of Benzodiazepines: A Longitudinal Cohort Study in Belgian Nursing Home Residents
TLDR
Sleep quality in chronic BZD/Z users significantly decreased over 1 year and was significantly worse than in nonusers at the end of this period, suggesting that using B z-drugs chronically does not maintain or improve sleep quality. Expand
Long-term persistence of withdrawal of temazepam , zopiclone , and zolpidem in older adults
Background: Studies on persistence of benzodiazepine agonist (BZDA) withdrawal in older outpatients are few, and few studies on long-term persistence over years have yet been published. To describe… Expand
Long-term persistence of withdrawal of temazepam, zopiclone, and zolpidem in older adults: a 3-year follow-up study
TLDR
The persistence of temazepam, zolpidem, and zopiclone (BZDA) withdrawal among older outpatients at 3 years from the beginning of withdrawal is described, as well as any changes in use of other medications. Expand
Withdrawing Benzodiazepines in Primary Care
TLDR
The clearest strategy was to taper the medication; abrupt cessation can only be justified if a very serious adverse effect supervenes during treatment, and no clear evidence suggests the optimum rate of tapering, and schedules vary from 4 weeks to several years. Expand
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