However, elderly patients are more likely to have unwanted effects (eg, severe drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, clumsiness, or unsteadiness) and kidney, liver, or lung problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.

Why is Xanax bad for older adults?

Long-term use can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms when discontinued. In older people, research has shown that benzodiazepines can impair cognition, mobility, and driving skills, and they increase the risk of falls.

Why are benzodiazepines not recommended for the elderly?

Adverse effects The use of benzodiazepines among elderly patients has been associated with intellectual and cognitive impairment (13). Cognitive impairment is characterized by anterograde amnesia, diminished short-term recall, and increased forgetfulness.

Can a 70 year old take Xanax?

However, prescription sedative drugs known as benzodiazepines carry significant risks, particularly for older adults. Many people in their 60s, 70s and 80s take antianxiety medications – such as Xanax, Valium and Ativan – sometimes indefinitely.

Should an elderly person take Xanax?

However, elderly patients are more likely to have unwanted effects (eg, severe drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, clumsiness, or unsteadiness) and kidney, liver, or lung problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.

What is the best anti anxiety medication for elderly?

Buspirone is an anti-anxiety drug that has been shown to be effective for older adults. Benzodiazepines, another anti-anxiety drug, are effective but should be prescribed carefully to older adults because of risk of memory impairment, unsteadiness, and falls.

Which benzodiazepine is preferred for elderly patients?

On the basis of their shorter half-lives and lack of (or rapid disappearance of) active metabolites produced by their mode of metabolism, oxazepam and lorazepam (and perhaps alprazolam) are the benzodiazepines of choice for elderly patients.

What is the risk to the elderly of taking benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines can impair cognition, mobility, and driving skills in older people, as well as increase the risk of falls. A recent study also found an association between benzodiazepine use in older people and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

What are the 9 prescription drugs that cause dementia?

The study found that people had a higher risk for dementia if they took:

• Antidepressants,
• Antiparkinson drugs,
• Antipsychotics,
• Antimuscarinics (Used to treat an overactive bladder), and.
• Antiepileptic drugs.

Is Xanax bad for dementia patients?

Past Studies on Xanax and Alzheimer’s But another study published in 2016 of 3,434 subjects found that high doses of benzos did not result in an increased risk of dementia, though moderate and low doses showed a slightly increased risk.

Is alprazolam a high risk medication?

IMPORTANT WARNING: has been expanded. Alprazolam may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma if used along with certain medications.

What age group does Xanax affect the most?

Additionally, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that young adults were the most likely to have used Xanax or the related drug lorazepam for non-medical purposes. In fact, more than 10 percent of adolescents ages 18 to 25 abuse Xanax. This is nearly double the rate of people ages 26 and over.

Does Xanax cause Alzheimer’s disease?

Last year, a widely publicized study again found that benzodiazepines–Ativan, Valium, and Xanax–which are often used to treat anxiety and sleep problems, were linked to increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease in elderly people.

Will doctors prescribe Xanax long term?

Although Xanax was designed to be a short-term drug (prescriptions up to six weeks), doctors continue to prescribe Xanax long after its intended use. As a result, you may experience long term side effects of Xanax if you continue to use it.