PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - John Gallacher
AU  - Peter Elwood
AU  - Janet Pickering
AU  - Antony Bayer
AU  - Mark Fish
AU  - Yoav Ben-Shlomo
TI  - Benzodiazepine use and risk of dementia: evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)
AID  - 10.1136/jech-2011-200314
DP  - 2012 Oct 01
TA  - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
PG  - 869--873
VI  - 66
IP  - 10
4099  - http://jech.bmj.com/content/66/10/869.short
4100  - http://jech.bmj.com/content/66/10/869.full
SO  - J Epidemiol Community Health2012 Oct 01; 66
AB  - Background Benzodiazepine use is widespread in older people, although its benefit is uncertain.Aim To investigate the long-term effect of benzodiazepine use upon dementia risk.Methods A prospective cohort of men seen on five occasions over 22 years with full medication histories, repeat measures of cognitive function and a clinical diagnosis of dementia.Results Of 1134 men with complete data, 103 (9.1%) had been taking benzodiazepines regularly at one or more phases. These men showed a marked increased incidence of dementia (OR=3.50, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.79, p=0.002), which persisted despite adjustment for psychological distress and other covariates. Men exposed in earlier phases showed a greater association than more recent exposure, counter to what one would expect if this was due to reverse causation, though we failed to demonstrate a dose–response effect with drug duration.Conclusion The taking of benzodiazepines is associated with an increased risk of dementia.