Xanax and Valium Boost Dementia Risk by 50 Percent
Thursday, September 27, 2012 6:30 PM
By Sylvia Booth Hubbard
Benzodiazepines, the generic name for a family of prescription drugs
that include Xanax and Valium used to treat anxiety and insomnia, raise
the risk of developing dementia within 15 years by 50 percent. An
alarming study found that the drugs, which are used to treat anxiety
and insomnia, increased risk in people over the age of 65 who had used benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines are some of the most commonly prescribed medications,
and in addition to treating anxiety and insomnia, they're also used as
anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants. Benzodiazepines include lorazepam
(Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), temazepam (Restoril)
and alprazolam (Xanax). Benzodiazepines work by binding to the
gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A) receptors in the brain. Other
substances, such as alcohol and barbiturates, bind to the same receptor,
which is one of the brain's most common neurotransmitters.
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