elderly xanax effects in side from

In the study of almost adults averaging 78 years of age, about one in four who were prescribed these types of benzodiazepine sedatives ended up using them for at side effects from xanax in elderly a year. That's despite warnings against long-term use of the drugs, especially among older people. Benzodiazepines -- a class that also includes Ativan, Halcion and Klonopin -- can raise the risk of lorazepam effects last 12-24 hours crashes, falls, broken hips and other harmful side effects, experts warn.

So the new study "shows that we need to help providers start with the end in mind when prescribing a benzodiazepine, by beginning with a short-duration prescription and engage patients in discussions of when to reevaluate their symptoms and begin tapering the patient off," said lead author Dr. She's a geriatric psychiatrist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

However, "multiple studies over many years now have consistently demonstrated an elevated risk of falls, and falls with fracture in seniors who take these medications, a risk that increases with daily dose," said Keefe, who wasn't involved in the side effects from xanax in elderly research. In the study, Gerlach's team tracked benzodiazepine use among older adults who were given their first prescription between and Only a few had had any psychiatric, psychological or psychosocial care in the past two years, xanax in side effects elderly from report noted.

Overall, of the patients maintained a current or recent prescription one year after being initially prescribed a benzodiazepine, the study found. The study mostly included people who got their prescription from a primary care doctor or other non-psychiatrist physician, because that's how most older patients get benzodiazepines, the authors explained. Breaking the numbers down, Gerlach's team found that white patients were four times more likely to use these drugs over the long term, compared to minority patients.

Also, people whose initial prescriptions were written for the largest number of pills were more likely to become long-term users. In fact, for every 10 additional days of can you make xanax at home prescribed, the risk of long-term use nearly doubled over the next year, the researchers reported.

And compared to short-term users, patients who took benzodiazepines long term were not any more likely be diagnosed with anxiety or depression -- two conditions that might justify using these drugs long term, Gerlach said. Long-term users were more likely to say they had sleep problems, however, even though benzodiazepines are not lorazepam 1mg tab side effects for long-term use as sleep aids.

In fact, they may even worsen sleep the longer they're used, the researchers said. Keefe had one theory. So, a reluctance to do so "may result in continuation of the status quo, even when it's not advisable over the longer term," Keefe believes. He called benzodiazepine overuse "a silent epidemic. The new study "highlights a staggering rift between guidelines and real-world practices," Kirane said, and "underscores a persistent reliance on narcotic medications for resolution of symptoms, such as insomnia, that can be improved by numerous other healthier options.

Kirane said physicians must do more to help guide patients with sleeplessness or other complaints towards safer, non-pharmaceutical solutions. How to get prescribed diazepam for anxiety more on benzodiazepines, visit the U. National Institute on Drug Side effects from xanax in elderly. One psychiatrist called the study a much-needed reminder for doctors.

"Side effects from xanax in elderly" report was published online Sept. More information For more on benzodiazepines, visit the Side effects from xanax in elderly. Corporal Punishment and Youth Violence.