Risks of Benzodiazepines in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Benzodiazepines are associated with mortality and poor outcomes among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but use of benzodiazepines for dyspnea among patients with end-stage disease may confound this relationship.

Objectives

Assess the mortality risks of long-term benzodiazepine exposure among patients with COPD and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), patients with chronic nonrespiratory indications for benzodiazepines.

Methods

We identified all patients with COPD and PTSD within the Veteran's Health Administration between 2010 and 2012. We calculated propensity scores for benzodiazepine use and compared overall and cause-specific mortality of patients with long-term (≥90 d) benzodiazepine use relative to matched patients

SUBMITTER: Donovan LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6344455 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature