BMJ 2005;331 (19 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7526.0
Sedative use in older people with insomnia may not be advantageous
The risks and benefits of sedative hypnotics for treating insomnia in elderly people are about evenly balanced, say Glass and colleagues (p 1169). They carried out a meta-analysis of 24 randomised controlled trials involving more than 2400 participants aged 60 or over who received any drug treatment for insomnia. Sedative use improved the quality of sleep but also increased the risk of adverse events. The authors conclude that in elderly people, particularly those at risk of falls or cognitive impairment, the benefits of sedative use are outweighed by the risks.
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Credit: OSCAR BURRIEL/SPL
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- Sedative hypnotics in older people with insomnia: meta-analysis of risks and benefits
- Jennifer Glass, Krista L Lanctôt, Nathan Herrmann, Beth A Sproule, and Usoa E Busto
BMJ 2005 331: 1169.[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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