COGNITIVE DEFICIT IN PROLONGED USE OF BENZODIAZEPINES

Abstract

This article sought evaluated the cognitive impairment related to the prolonged use of benzodiazepines (hypnotic and anxiolytic drugs with excellent effects and anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anesthetic properties). These products were introduced to the pharmaceutical market in the 1960s shortly after the accidental discovery of Chlordiazepoxide.To conclude the assessment of this cognitive deficit, an integrative review of the literature on the subject was carried out in searches carried out in the databases of sites such as: PubMed, Scielo and Lilacs in the last 10 years. More than 600 articles were found with the keywords: cognitive deficit and prolonged use of benzodiazepines, with approximately 12 articles being chosen for the present study, since most of the articles did not deal with the subject. The analyzed studies demonstrated that benzodiazepines should be administered only for specific treatments and for a limited time, since their exacerbated and prolonged use could lead to dependence and cognitive impairment, especially in elderly people.