Jakarta, the researchers cautioned against the use of sleeping pills in a long time. Prescription sleeping pills can help many people to get a much needed rest at night. But the use of sleeping pills on a regular basis and in the long term can also increase the risk of death or developing some cancers.
A new study suggests that people who take sleeping pills four times more likely to die than those who did not take sleeping pills at all. The results also showed that, sleeping pills are also associated with increased risk for certain types of cancer.
The results of these studies have been published online in the journal BMJ Open edition February 27, 2012. Sleeping pills, including the class of benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, barbiturates, sedatives, and antihistamines.
However, the results of the new study only shows the relationship between sleep aids and the risk of death, but did not demonstrate a causal relationship. So that some experts claim that, still need to do further studies to confirm these findings.
"Sleeping pills associated with increased mortality and cancer," said Dr. Daniel Kripke, of the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center Viterbi Family, in La Jolla, California as reported by the MSNHealth, Tuesday (02/28/2012).
In the new study, the team Kripke has involved more than 10,500 people on average 54 years. These patients had various underlying medical conditions and prescribed sleeping pills for an average of about 2.5 years between 2002-2007. The researchers compared the risk for mortality and cancer patients against those who did not take sleeping pills.
These risks apply regardless of age, but the highest risk among those aged 18-55 years. People who use high doses are also at greater risk of some cancers, including esophageal cancer, lymphoma, lung cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.
"However, the relationship between sleeping pills and an increase in mortality and cancer was not associated with existing health problems before," said the researchers.
There are several known mechanisms that can lead to increased cancer risk, such as stress. For example, esophageal regurgitation can lead to esophageal cancer. Sleeping medications can also worsen sleep apnea, and can make people more susceptible to falls and car accidents.
"People who take sleeping pills should not panic. There may be many reasons for the increased risk of death has nothing to do with sleeping pills, but with other risk factors that have been proven. Sleep is the first thing affected when someone is under pressure due to medical illness or psychological problems. So that sleeping pills are quite safe and effective when prescribed by a physician as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. However, the use of sleep medication in the long run it should be avoided, "said Dr. Victor Fornari, of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The Zucker Hillside Hospital of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, New York.
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