Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Risk and Benzodiazepine Dependence in Older Veterans with Insomnia Symptoms.

Gutierrez L, Ghadimi S, Krall A, Hampson E, Grinberg AM, Moore AA, Dzierzewski JM, Alessi C, Martin JL, Fung CH. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Risk and Benzodiazepine Dependence in Older Veterans with Insomnia Symptoms. Clinical Gerontologist. 2022 Mar 1; 45(2):414-418.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• RCS 20-191 – Research Career Scientist Award
• IIR 17-234 – The Efficacy of Masked Tapering on Discontinuation of Hypnotics in Older Veterans

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.    Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions

Search for Abstract from PubMed

---

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To measure the rate of benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZA) dependence in older veterans with insomnia symptoms chronically using BZAs and to assess for associations between high posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk and BZA dependence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among veterans aged 55 years and older with insomnia symptoms (current or historical) and chronic use of BZAs ( = 3 months). Measurements included the Primary Care-PTSD screen (score > 2 indicates high PTSD risk) and Benzodiazepine Dependence Questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to test for associations between PTSD risk and BZA dependence. RESULTS: A high PTSD risk was observed in 40% of the participants (N  =  33). One-fifth (21.7%, N =  18) of participants met the criteria for benzodiazepine dependence (score = 23 on Benzodiazepine Dependence Questionnaire). Veterans with high PTSD risk were significantly more likely to have BZA dependence (odds ratio 10.09, 95% CI [2.39, 42.54], =  .002). CONCLUSIONS: In older veterans with insomnia symptoms and chronic use of BZAs, high PTSD risk is associated with elevated risk for BZA dependence, which may make discontinuation of these medications difficult. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians should consider the strong association between PTSD symptoms and benzodiazepine dependence when developing plans to taper a BZA in veterans with these symptoms.