Benzodiazepines Linked to Worsened COPD in Older Adults

Abstract

Benzodiazepine use was associated with significantly increased risks of adverse respiratory outcomes in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, researchers reported in the European Respiratory Journal. New benzodiazepine users were 45% more likely to receive outpatient respiratory medications and 92% more likely to visit the emergency department for respiratory reasons than were non-benzodiazepine users, reported Nicholas Vozoris, MD, of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto and his associates. “These findings are concerning, given that benzodiazepines are known to be frequently used among older adults with COPD and in suboptimal ways,” the investigators wrote. “The findings suggest that the potential for adverse respiratory outcomes needs to be considered when administering benzodiazepines to older adults with COPD.” The retrospective population-based cohort study (Eur Respir J 2014;44[2]:332-40) identified 177,355 adults with COPD who were at least 66 years old and lived in Ontario, Canada, during 2003-2010. The research is consistent with findings from previous smaller, shorter-duration studies, said Dr. Vozoris and his associates. They noted that their definition of COPD had a sensitivity of only 58%, which could limit the generalizability of the findings.