Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Shugan Jieyu Capsules for the Treatment of Insomnia
Published on: February 17, 2023
Mortality in elderly men with low psychosocial coping resources using anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs
J Merlo1, P O Ostergren, N O Månsson
1Department of Community Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. juan.merlo@smi.mas.lu.se
Objective:
Insufficient coping with stress may lead to increased susceptibility for disease and death. Use of anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs has been suggested as a coping strategy, and some opinions have proposed their use as preventive medication. The aim of this study was to estimate if use of anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs counters the increased mortality observed in individuals lacking other coping strategies such as emotional support and social participation.
Methods:
A population based cohort study with 10-year (1982/83-1993) survival analysis was performed in 491 men born in 1914, living in the Swedish city of Malmö.
Results:
Compared with men with a high level of psychosocial coping resources who did not use anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs, men with a low level of psychosocial coping resources had a higher risk of death irrespective whether they used anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs, RR = 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.6) or not RR = 1.8 (95%: 1.3-2.5).
Conclusion:
Anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs do not seem to counter increased mortality in elderly men with low psychosocial coping resources.
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.
Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...

