Benzodiazepine

Ativan, Valium and other benzodiazepines have been shown to increase the risk of getting pneumonia-- and dying from it – according to a study published in the journal Thorax .The study found those people who took benzodiazepines regularly had a 50 percent increased risk of contracting pneumonia.Benzodiazepines are typically prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks, epilepsy and muscle spasms.They are also frequently used as a sedative in critically ill patients.The authors estimate that about 2 percent of Americans have taken benzodiazepines for 12 months or more. Of the elderly, about one in 10 take the drugs.Past research has linked benzodiazepines to a higher risk of infections and death in critically ill patients.  One study found that benzodiazepines doubled the risk of secondary infections in critically ill patients compared with the use of other types of sedatives. The authors of the current study wanted to know if the risk also extended to those in the general population...

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