New Research Sheds Light on Threats of Z-Drugs for Dementia Patients

Devdiscourse reports that a study from the University of East Anglia (UEA) published in BMC Medicine associated strong sleeping pills known as "Z-drugs" (zopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem) with a higher risk of falls, fractures, and stroke among people with dementia. The team analyzed data from 27,090 patients in England diagnosed with dementia between January 2000 and March 2016, average age 83, while 62 percent were women. They considered the adverse events for 3,532 subjects who had been prescribed Z-drugs and compared them to people suffering sleep disturbance who had not been prescribed sedatives, and those prescribed benzodiazepines. Stronger doses of Z-drugs were connected to an increased risk of adverse effects, and those effects were similar or greater than those for higher dose benzodiazepines. The researchers recommended that patients already on higher doses of Z-drugs should not discontinue them suddenly, but should seek a review with their doctor.