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Hypnotic drugs and the elderly: to be avoided

It is better to avoid using hypnotic drugs for elderly people given the many adverse effects and difficulty in discontinuing treatment.

Hypnotic drugs are often prescribed for elderly patients suffering from sleep disorders. And yet, several surveys show that in insomnia sufferers over the age of 60, these drugs only increase the amount of sleep by about 30 minutes each night.

The October issue of la revue Prescrire concludes that it is better not to start hypnotic drug therapy given the disproportionate number of adverse effects – headaches, nightmares, nausea, digestive disorders etc. – in relation to the minimal benefits that can be expected.

Furthermore, in the elderly, hypnotic drugs lead to increased risks of fatigue the next morning, difficulty in thinking and memory disorder (cognitive disorders), dizziness and loss of balance that can cause falls and hip fractures.

Furthermore, weaning patients off these drugs is often slow and difficult. It is better not to use them in the first place but to opt for sleep counselling, which is easy to implement.

©Prescrire, 1 November 2007

Source: "Hypnotiques chez les personnes âgées : trop d'effets indésirables" Rev Prescrire 2007; 27 (288): 751.

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