Recent literature has pointed to a an increased risk of dementia among individuals suffering from anxiety disorders. 1 However, little is known about the risk of dementia among patients being treated for anxiety or those taking drugs such as benzodiazepines (BZD) . A study has now found that individuals over 65 on BZD therapy and those diagnosed with anxiety disorder (not being treated with BZD) had a greater risk of developing dementia . 2 The retrospective cohort study of 72,496 de-identified patient records revealed that: Long-term BZD use was associated with a 28% higher risk of dementia.
Anxiety disorder without BZD use was associated with a 19% higher risk of dementia. There was no additional risk of dementia in individuals with anxiety disorders undergoing BZD therapy (18%). Further studies comparing BZD with other anxiolytic medications and their relationship with…
