Benzodiazepine Use and the Risk of Motor Vehicle Crash in the Elderly

摘要: Context. —Benzodiazepines, used by a sizable number of the elderly population, may affect ability to drive and thus increase risk motor vehicle crash. Epidemiologic studies this question have produced inconsistent results that be due different effects long—and short—half-life benzodiazepines variations in their duration use. Objective. —To determine whether use either long- or short-elimination half-life is associated with injurious crash elderly. Design Setting. —Nested case-control design within cohort 224 734 drivers from Canadian province Quebec, aged 67 84 years, followed up 1990 1993. Computerized data for study were obtained provincial driver's license files, police reports crashes, health insurance records. Patients. —We identified all 5579 involved an (cases) random sample 10 controls per case selected subcohort 13 256 subjects. Main Outcome. —Involvement member as driver which at least 1 person (not necessarily driver) sustained bodily injury. Results. —The adjusted rate ratio involvement first week long—half-life benzodiazepine was 1.45 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.03). The continuous longer year slightly lower but remained significant (rate ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.09-1.45). In contrast, there no increased after initiation treatment short-half-life 1.04; 0.81-1.34) continued 0.91; 0.82-1.01). Conclusions. —Brief extended periods exposure are population. There such elevated benzodiazepines.