Volume 30, Issue 167, January 2026

The risk of falls and fractures in geriatric benzodiazepine users: a review

Szymon Barczak^1♦, Zuzanna Hertz², Jakub Barczak³

¹Mazovian Brodnowski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland
²Central Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
³Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Szymon Barczak, Mazovian Brodnowski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

Benzodiazepines continue to be frequently prescribed, despite recommendations to avoid their use in older adults due to associated harms. This review summarizes studies published between January 2005 and September 2025 examining the association between benzodiazepine use and the risk of falls and fractures in older adults. A total of 21 studies were included, involving hospitalized patients, nursing home residents, and community-dwelling older adults. Most studies found that benzodiazepine use in older adults is linked to a higher risk of falls or related injuries. The risk was greatest at the start of treatment, with higher doses, with long-acting drugs, and when benzodiazepines were used together with other medications. Although some hospital-based studies did not find significant differences between users and non-users, the overall findings suggest that benzodiazepines play an important role in fall- and fracture-related harm in older adults. Stopping these drugs was linked to fewer falls, showing that using them less can make patients safer. Avoiding or limiting benzodiazepines, especially when starting treatment and in frail older adults or those with multiple illnesses, should be a priority to prevent injuries and improve care.

Keywords: benzodiazepines, falls, fractures, geriatric population, older adults, osteoporosis

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e16ms3758

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v30i167.e16ms3758

Published: 29 January 2026