BMC Geriatrics (Jul 2017)

Association of benzodiazepine and Z-drug use with the risk of hospitalisation for fall-related injuries among older people: a nationwide nested case–control study in Taiwan

  • Nan-Wen Yu,
  • Pei-Jung Chen,
  • Hui-Ju Tsai,
  • Chih-Wan Huang,
  • Yu-Wen Chiu,
  • Wen-Ing Tsay,
  • Jui Hsu,
  • Chia-Ming Chang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-017-0530-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Background Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (Z-drugs) are advocated to be safer than benzodiazepines (BZDs). This study comprehensively investigated the association of BZD and Z-drug usage with the risk of hospitalisation for fall-related injuries in older people. Methods This study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database with a nested matched case-control design. We identified 2238 elderly patients who had been hospitalised for fall-related injuries between 2003 and 2012. They were individually matched (1:4) with a comparison group by age, sex, and index year. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine independent effects of drug characteristics (type of exposure, dosage, half-life, and polypharmacy) on older people. Results Older people hospitalisation for fall-related injuries were significantly associated with current use of BZDs (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.32, 95% confidential interval [CI] = 1.17–1.50) and Z-drugs (AOR = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.05–1.48). At all dose levels of BZDs, high dose levels of Z-drugs, long-acting BZD, and short-acting BZD use were all significantly increased the risk of fall-related injuries requiring hospitalisation. Polypharmacy, the use of two or more kinds of BZDs, one kind of BZD plus Z-drugs and two or more kinds of BZDs plus Z-drugs, also significantly increased the risk (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.38–1.89; AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.08–2.50, and AOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.21–2.07). Conclusions Different dose levels and half-lives of BZDs, a high dose of Z-drugs, and polypharmacy with BZDs and Z-drugs were associated with an increased risk of fall-related injury requiring hospitalisation in older people. Physicians should balance the risks and benefits when prescribing these drug regimens to older people considering the risk of falls.

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