Benzodiazepine and aspirin overuse in older adults

This article flagged two medications that are worth periodically re-evaluating with your doctor as you age. 3 Common Drugs Older Adults Might Be Overusing Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Valium) and related sleep medications (like Ambien) are still commonly used in older adults for anxiety and insomnia. With age, these drugs can increasingly affect balance, coordination, and cognition — raising the risk of falls, fractures, and motor vehicle accidents. Long-term use can also lead to physical dependence, and stopping suddenly may cause withdrawal symptoms. Although overall use in people 65+ has declined, that decline has recently stalled, and use has actually increased in those over 75 — about one-third of users were taking them for longer than six months. The important message is not to stop these medications abruptly; if they're no longer necessary, they should generally be tapered gradually under medical supervision. Aspirin is the second one — many older adults still take it daily believing it prevents a heart attack or stroke. Aspirin remains very important for secondary prevention (for people who've already had a heart attack, stroke, stent, or bypass surgery). But for primary prevention — someone who has never had one of these events — the balance shifts with age: the cardiovascular benefit becomes relatively small, while the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and, more rarely, bleeding in the brain, increases. Current guidelines therefore recommend against routinely starting aspirin for primary prevention in older adults, though individual circumstances can differ. Bottom line: medications that made sense 10 or 20 years ago may not remain the right choice as you get older. It's worth periodically asking your doctor: "Do I still need this medication?"