Benzodiazepine use and risk of dementia: evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)

John Gallacher; Peter Elwood; Janet Pickering; Antony Bayer; Mark Fish; Yoav Ben-Shlomo

doi:10.1136/jech-2011-200314

Benzodiazepine use and risk of dementia: evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)

John Gallacher, Peter Elwood, Janet Pickering, Antony Bayer, Mark Fish, Yoav Ben-Shlomo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

84 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background Benzodiazepine use is widespread in older people, although its benefit is uncertain.

Aim To investigate the long-term effect of benzodiazepine use upon dementia risk.

Methods A prospective cohort of men seen on five occasions over 22 years with full medication histories, repeat measures of cognitive function and a clinical diagnosis of dementia.

Results Of 1134 men with complete data, 103 (9.1%) had been taking benzodiazepines regularly at one or more phases. These men showed a marked increased incidence of dementia (OR=3.50, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.79, p=0.002), which persisted despite adjustment for psychological distress and other covariates. Men exposed in earlier phases showed a greater association than more recent exposure, counter to what one would expect if this was due to reverse causation, though we failed to demonstrate a dose-eresponse effect with drug duration.

Conclusion The taking of benzodiazepines is associated with an increased risk of dementia.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	869-873
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Volume	66
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2011-200314
Publication status	Published - Oct 2012

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10.1136/jech-2011-200314

Cite this

@article{72ef34cb4a9e4567a39fa1a08d640c55,

title = "Benzodiazepine use and risk of dementia: evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)",

abstract = "Background Benzodiazepine use is widespread in older people, although its benefit is uncertain.Aim To investigate the long-term effect of benzodiazepine use upon dementia risk.Methods A prospective cohort of men seen on five occasions over 22 years with full medication histories, repeat measures of cognitive function and a clinical diagnosis of dementia.Results Of 1134 men with complete data, 103 (9.1%) had been taking benzodiazepines regularly at one or more phases. These men showed a marked increased incidence of dementia (OR=3.50, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.79, p=0.002), which persisted despite adjustment for psychological distress and other covariates. Men exposed in earlier phases showed a greater association than more recent exposure, counter to what one would expect if this was due to reverse causation, though we failed to demonstrate a dose-eresponse effect with drug duration.Conclusion The taking of benzodiazepines is associated with an increased risk of dementia.",

author = "John Gallacher and Peter Elwood and Janet Pickering and Antony Bayer and Mark Fish and Yoav Ben-Shlomo",

year = "2012",

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doi = "10.1136/jech-2011-200314",

language = "English",

volume = "66",

pages = "869--873",

journal = "Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health",

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publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Benzodiazepine use and risk of dementia: evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)

AU - Gallacher, John

AU - Elwood, Peter

AU - Pickering, Janet

AU - Bayer, Antony

AU - Fish, Mark

AU - Ben-Shlomo, Yoav

PY - 2012/10

Y1 - 2012/10

N2 - Background Benzodiazepine use is widespread in older people, although its benefit is uncertain.Aim To investigate the long-term effect of benzodiazepine use upon dementia risk.Methods A prospective cohort of men seen on five occasions over 22 years with full medication histories, repeat measures of cognitive function and a clinical diagnosis of dementia.Results Of 1134 men with complete data, 103 (9.1%) had been taking benzodiazepines regularly at one or more phases. These men showed a marked increased incidence of dementia (OR=3.50, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.79, p=0.002), which persisted despite adjustment for psychological distress and other covariates. Men exposed in earlier phases showed a greater association than more recent exposure, counter to what one would expect if this was due to reverse causation, though we failed to demonstrate a dose-eresponse effect with drug duration.Conclusion The taking of benzodiazepines is associated with an increased risk of dementia.

AB - Background Benzodiazepine use is widespread in older people, although its benefit is uncertain.Aim To investigate the long-term effect of benzodiazepine use upon dementia risk.Methods A prospective cohort of men seen on five occasions over 22 years with full medication histories, repeat measures of cognitive function and a clinical diagnosis of dementia.Results Of 1134 men with complete data, 103 (9.1%) had been taking benzodiazepines regularly at one or more phases. These men showed a marked increased incidence of dementia (OR=3.50, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.79, p=0.002), which persisted despite adjustment for psychological distress and other covariates. Men exposed in earlier phases showed a greater association than more recent exposure, counter to what one would expect if this was due to reverse causation, though we failed to demonstrate a dose-eresponse effect with drug duration.Conclusion The taking of benzodiazepines is associated with an increased risk of dementia.

U2 - 10.1136/jech-2011-200314

DO - 10.1136/jech-2011-200314

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 22034632

VL - 66

SP - 869

EP - 873

JO - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

JF - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

SN - 0143-005X

IS - 10

ER -