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.
