Effect of Xanax on the Elderly

The abuse of prescription drugs has taken place quietly among a segment of the population where you'd least expect it: the elderly When Express Scripts, Inc., a managed-care pharmacy, looked at more than 13,000 women 60 and older who were taking benzodiazepines, they found that more than half were taking the drugs improperly. Nearly 60 percent of these women were taking the drugs for four or more months, a length of time that significantly increases the risk of dependence or addiction.

Drugs commonly abused by senior citizens belong to a group called the benzodiazepines. These drugs slow the activity of the brain and are used to treat anxiety and sleeplessness. They can easily veer off into the danger zone of abuse.

As with all benzodiazepines, paradoxical reactions such as stimulation, agitation, rage, increased muscle spasticity, sleep disturbances, hallucinations and other adverse behavioral effects may occur in rare instances and in a random fashion and so is the case with xanax too.

In nursing homes, xanax may seem to help the insomnia of an elderly patient for a night or two but routine prescription of xanax in nursing homes and hospitals should be avoided.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends that senior citizens use the benzodiazepine drugs like xanax for no longer than four months because of the risk of addiction.

Older people taking a high dose of benzodiazepines like xanax, run the risk of developing memory or thinking problems. A higher than necessary dose of benzodiazepine drugs like xanax can trigger confusion, a problem that can result in a car accident or difficulty getting home from a familiar place. Seniors are more likely to become too heavily sedated, or experience decreased muscle coordination. Seniors should limit the intake of xanax to the smallest effective dose.