Benzodiazepine class insomnia drugs were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published Aug. 7 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Researchers from China analyzed UK Biobank data from 124,445 patients for any association to cardiovascular disease, heart failure, stroke and death from benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine hypnotic agents used to treat insomnia.
The UK Biobank is a biomedical database containing health information from 500,000 participants for research use, with data being collected since 2006.
Non-benzodiazepine hypnotic agents, also called z-meds, are eszopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon. Benzodiazepine hypnotic agents include lorazepam, alprazolam, diazepam and triazolam.
During a median follow-up period of 14.3 years, researchers found a significant association with benzodiazepine use and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, mortality and heart failure. No similar association was found with z-med use, according to the study.