“Frequent Sleeping Pill Use Linked to Increased Dementia Risk”

Frequent Sleeping Pill Use Linked to Increased Dementia Risk,” by Megan Brooks, Medscape

“Older adults who reported taking sleep medications ‘often’ or ‘almost always’ were 43% more likely to develop dementia than those who never or rarely used sleep medications (hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 – 2.02). White participants reporting frequent use had a 79% higher dementia risk (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.21 – 2.66). There was no association in blacks (HR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.38 – 1.83). The association did not differ by sex. … The associations were independent of age, sex, education, socioeconomic status, smoking, alcohol use, body mass index, depressive symptoms, physical activity, comorbidities, APOE genotype and sleep disturbances. … While the study shows an association between the use of sleep medications and subsequent cognitive impairment, it does not show causality, he cautioned.”

 

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):

More bad news for insomniacs.