Abstrakt
Benzodiazepines belong to the group of hypnosedative medications. They are commonly prescribed for anxiety disorders and sleep problems and are widely used in younger adults as well as in the older population.
However, their pharmacological profile can be influenced by age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics resulting in an increased potential to cause adverse effects such as daily sleepiness, fatigue, falls, cognitive impairment, and confusion. Falls in older people are described as multifactorial adverse events, with use of particular medications being one of the potential risk factors.
Despite extensive evaluation of benzodiazepines' contribution to falls in older patients, the research yielded mixed results, and differences between particular drugs or dosage regimens remain questionable. Risk/benefit ratios of particular active substances in the group of benzodiazepines, their cautious indication for specific problems and rational selection, particularly in older adults with various multiple comorbidities, should be carefully evaluated in daily clinical practice.