The risk of traffic accidents after prescriptions of carisoprodol

ObjectiveCarisoprodol, a drug used for acute lower back pain, may cause psychomotor impairment. We wanted to investigate if patients using carisoprodol had increased risk of being involved in a traffic accident.MethodsData were retrieved from three population-based registries for the period April 2004–September 2005. The Norwegian Prescription Database contained individual information on all dispensed drugs at all pharmacies outside hospitals. The Norwegian Road Accident Registry contained information on all drivers involved in motor vehicle accidents with person injury. The Norwegian Central Population Registry was used to control for emigration or death. The accident incidence among carisoprodol exposed and unexposed subjects was compared by standardized incidence ratio.ResultsHaving a prescription for carisoprodol dispensed increased the standardized incidence ratio for being involved in an accident with person injury to 3.7 (95% CI 2.9–4.8) the first week after the date of dispensing. This was similar to diazepam (2.8; 2.2–3.6), but higher than for salbutamol (1.1; 0.6–1.8).ConclusionsPatients receiving carisoprodol seem to have an increased risk of being involved in traffic accidents involving person injury. The study gives support to earlier work published on the impairing effects of carisoprodol.