Study, Apr./16: "Zolpidem use and risk of fractures"

[[La...]]

Like benzodiazepines, the Z-drugs -- commonly prescribed for insomnia -- carry with them a number of risks. According to this study, fractures are included in that list. From the perspective of someone whose main withdrawal symptom is dizziness/disequilibrium, I'm frustrated by this abstract's failure to mention what usually happens before someone falls and fractures a bone. Loss of balance almost always comes before someone falls down, and that loss of balance is directly related to the action of the medication on the vestibular system. It's implied. Perhaps the full study refers to it.

 

As many of us know, benzodiazepines are referred to as "vestibular suppressants" in the medical literature. Dizziness is a debilitating and dangerous side-effect, and it has a brutal result on one's quality of life. And yes, if you fall down, you can break a bone. In the case of an elderly person or someone with osteoporosis, a fracture can be life-threatening (e.g a hip fracture can lead to someone becoming bedridden and then acquiring pneumonia).

 

Here's the link to the abstract:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27105645