The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study

Introduction Benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines have been linked to a variety of adverse effects including addiction. Long term use of these drugs has been associated with an increased risk of suicide. Objectives We assessed if individuals in treatment with non-benzodiazepine (n-BZD) and benz...

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Main Authors: N. Høier, T. Madsen, A. Spira, K. Hawton, P. Jennum, M. Nordentoft, A. Erlangsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2022-06-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822004783/type/journal_article
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author N. Høier
T. Madsen
A. Spira
K. Hawton
P. Jennum
M. Nordentoft
A. Erlangsen
author_facet N. Høier
T. Madsen
A. Spira
K. Hawton
P. Jennum
M. Nordentoft
A. Erlangsen
author_sort N. Høier
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines have been linked to a variety of adverse effects including addiction. Long term use of these drugs has been associated with an increased risk of suicide. Objectives We assessed if individuals in treatment with non-benzodiazepine (n-BZD) and benzodiazepine (BZD) had higher rates of suicide when compared to individuals not in treatment with these drugs. Methods We utilized a cohort design and national longitudinal data on all individuals aged 10 or above who lived in Denmark between 1995 and 2018. Treatment with either n-BZD or BZD was identified via the Danish National Prescription Registry and suicide deaths were identified in the national cause of death registries. Results In a total of 6,494,206 individuals, 10,862 males and 4,214 females died by suicide. Of these, 1,220 (11.2%) males and 792 (18.8%) females had been in treatment with n-BZD, resulting in adjusted IRR for suicide of 4.2 (95% CI, 4.0 – 4.5) and 3.4 (95% CI, 3.1 – 3.7) for males and females, respectively, when compared to those not in treatment. In all, 529 (4.8%) males and 395 (9.3%) females who died by suicide had been in treatment with BZD. The IRRs for suicide were 2.4 (95% CI, 2.2 – 2.6) and 2.5 (95% CI, 2.3 – 2.8) for males and females, respectively, and compared to those not in treatment. Conclusions In this study we find that those in treatment experienced higher suicide rates than those not in treatment, this persisted when also adjusting for a large variety of covariates. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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spelling doaj.art-b001ee4c14e64dec8348277cad83313d2023-11-17T05:06:25ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S181S18110.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.478The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort studyN. Høier0T. Madsen1A. Spira2K. Hawton3P. Jennum4M. Nordentoft5A. Erlangsen6Mental Health Centre Copenhagen (CORE), Danish Research Institute For Suicide Prevention, Hellerup, DenmarkMental Health Center Copenhagen, Core-copenhagen Research Center For Mental Health, Hellerup, DenmarkJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department Of Mental Health, Baltimore, United States of AmericaUniversity of Oxford, Centre For Suicide Research, Oxford, United KingdomDanish Center for Sleep Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen N, DenmarkCORE-Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Hellerup, DenmarkCORE-Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark Introduction Benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines have been linked to a variety of adverse effects including addiction. Long term use of these drugs has been associated with an increased risk of suicide. Objectives We assessed if individuals in treatment with non-benzodiazepine (n-BZD) and benzodiazepine (BZD) had higher rates of suicide when compared to individuals not in treatment with these drugs. Methods We utilized a cohort design and national longitudinal data on all individuals aged 10 or above who lived in Denmark between 1995 and 2018. Treatment with either n-BZD or BZD was identified via the Danish National Prescription Registry and suicide deaths were identified in the national cause of death registries. Results In a total of 6,494,206 individuals, 10,862 males and 4,214 females died by suicide. Of these, 1,220 (11.2%) males and 792 (18.8%) females had been in treatment with n-BZD, resulting in adjusted IRR for suicide of 4.2 (95% CI, 4.0 – 4.5) and 3.4 (95% CI, 3.1 – 3.7) for males and females, respectively, when compared to those not in treatment. In all, 529 (4.8%) males and 395 (9.3%) females who died by suicide had been in treatment with BZD. The IRRs for suicide were 2.4 (95% CI, 2.2 – 2.6) and 2.5 (95% CI, 2.3 – 2.8) for males and females, respectively, and compared to those not in treatment. Conclusions In this study we find that those in treatment experienced higher suicide rates than those not in treatment, this persisted when also adjusting for a large variety of covariates. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822004783/type/journal_articleSuicidesleep medicinePharmacologybenzodiazepine
spellingShingle N. Høier
T. Madsen
A. Spira
K. Hawton
P. Jennum
M. Nordentoft
A. Erlangsen
The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study
European Psychiatry
Suicide
sleep medicine
Pharmacology
benzodiazepine
title The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study
title_full The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study
title_fullStr The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study
title_full_unstemmed The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study
title_short The association between benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine and suicide: a nationwide cohort study
title_sort association between benzodiazepine and non benzodiazepine and suicide a nationwide cohort study
topic Suicide
sleep medicine
Pharmacology
benzodiazepine
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822004783/type/journal_article
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