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http://www.europapress.es/salud/not...yor-riesgo-neumonia-fatal-20121207115229.html
Spanish-English translation
UP TO 50% MORE
Sedatives for sleep are associated with increased risk of fatal pneumonia
Photo: Flickr / NEILBETTER
MADRID, Dec. 7 (IRIN) -
***The commonly prescribed sleeping pills can increase the risk of pneumonia by up to 50 percent and increase the chances of dying from this disease, suggests a study published in the online edition of the journal 'Thorax'. These are the benzodiazepines, which are prescribed to treat anxiety, epilepsy, muscle spasms and insomnia, and sedation in palliative care and rehabilitation for alcoholics.
***The authors analyzed the medical records of patients whose data had been entered into the database of the Network of British Healthcare Improvement, which contains records of more than 9 million primary care patients. The study looked at nearly 5,000 patients with a first recorded diagnosis of pneumonia between 2001 and 2002 and compared each with six patients, matched for age and sex, and from the same practice.
***We evaluated the use of benzodiazepines in both groups and was classified as "current", "recent" or "past", and also take account of Zopiclone use, which is a benzodiazepine, but acting on the same chemical pathways in the body.
***The results showed that benzodiazepines were associated with a significantly higher risk (54 percent) of pneumonia, after taking into account the previous episodes of infection, smoking and other major diseases and underlying an effect of similar magnitude to that found for the use of zopiclone. Individually, prescriptions for diazepam, lorazepam and temazepam, but not chlordiazepoxide, were associated with an increased risk of pneumonia.
***A second analysis showed that the risk of dying within 30 days after being diagnosed with pneumonia was 22 percent higher among those taking benzodiazepines and 32 percent higher in the three years of diagnosis. Diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and temazapam lorezapam individually associated with the long term risk of death in these patients.
***The authors caution that their findings do not definitively prove cause and effect but suggest it may be cause for further investigation. "Given the widespread use of benzodiazepine drugs, further studies are needed to evaluate its safety in the context of infection," the researchers conclude the study.
Spanish-English translation
UP TO 50% MORE
Sedatives for sleep are associated with increased risk of fatal pneumonia
Photo: Flickr / NEILBETTER
MADRID, Dec. 7 (IRIN) -
***The commonly prescribed sleeping pills can increase the risk of pneumonia by up to 50 percent and increase the chances of dying from this disease, suggests a study published in the online edition of the journal 'Thorax'. These are the benzodiazepines, which are prescribed to treat anxiety, epilepsy, muscle spasms and insomnia, and sedation in palliative care and rehabilitation for alcoholics.
***The authors analyzed the medical records of patients whose data had been entered into the database of the Network of British Healthcare Improvement, which contains records of more than 9 million primary care patients. The study looked at nearly 5,000 patients with a first recorded diagnosis of pneumonia between 2001 and 2002 and compared each with six patients, matched for age and sex, and from the same practice.
***We evaluated the use of benzodiazepines in both groups and was classified as "current", "recent" or "past", and also take account of Zopiclone use, which is a benzodiazepine, but acting on the same chemical pathways in the body.
***The results showed that benzodiazepines were associated with a significantly higher risk (54 percent) of pneumonia, after taking into account the previous episodes of infection, smoking and other major diseases and underlying an effect of similar magnitude to that found for the use of zopiclone. Individually, prescriptions for diazepam, lorazepam and temazepam, but not chlordiazepoxide, were associated with an increased risk of pneumonia.
***A second analysis showed that the risk of dying within 30 days after being diagnosed with pneumonia was 22 percent higher among those taking benzodiazepines and 32 percent higher in the three years of diagnosis. Diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and temazapam lorezapam individually associated with the long term risk of death in these patients.
***The authors caution that their findings do not definitively prove cause and effect but suggest it may be cause for further investigation. "Given the widespread use of benzodiazepine drugs, further studies are needed to evaluate its safety in the context of infection," the researchers conclude the study.