Adverse performance effects of acute lorazepam administration in elderly long-term users: Pharmacokinetic and clinical predictors

• Administration of lorazepam in long term elderly users produced poor memory.
• Prescribed doses also produced slower psychomotor performance.
• No significant effects on self-ratings of mood, sedation or anxiety were detected.
• These findings raise concerns about the long-term use of lorazepam in the elderly.

BackgroundThe benzodiazepine lorazepam is widely utilized in the treatment of elderly individuals with anxiety disorders and related conditions. Negative effects of acute lorazepam administration on cognitive performance, especially memory, have been reported in both previously untreated elderly and in individuals who have received short term (up to three weeks) treatment with therapeutic doses. However, it remains unclear if these adverse cognitive effects also persist after long-term use, which is frequently found in clinical practice.MethodsCognitively intact elderly individuals (n = 37) on long-term (at least three months) daily treatment with lorazepam were studied using a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study design. Subjects were administered their highest daily unit dose of lorazepam (0.25–3.00 mg) or placebo on different days, approximately 1 week apart in a random order, and were assessed on memory, psychomotor speed, and subjective mood states.ResultsSubjects had significantly poorer recall and slowed psychomotor performance following acute lorazepam administration. There were no significant effects on self-ratings of mood, sedation, or anxiety in the whole group, but secondary analyses suggested a differential response in subjects with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.ConclusionsThe reduced recall and psychomotor slowing that we observed, along with an absence of significant therapeutic benefits, following acute lorazepam administration in elderly long-term users reinforces the importance of cognitive toxicity as a clinical factor in benzodiazepine use, especially in this population.