Does benzodiazepine use increase the risk of hip fracture?(Adverse Events)

The benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed drugs in elderly patients, accounting for more than 71 million prescriptions in 2002. (1) The popularity of the benzodiazepines has raised concerns regarding their safety profile, especially the risk of fall with resultant hip fracture in the elderly.

Despite the concerns, literature data addressing the relationship between benzodiazepine use and hip fracture is conflicting, implicating drugs with both long and short elimination half-lives, as well as differing in conclusion regarding the time course of use and fall with subsequent hospitalization.

Investigators recently re-addressed this important issue. They analyzed Medicaid health claims over a 42-month time period in New Jersey, with the specific aims to assess whether there is a relationship between the pharmacological …