Common sleeping pills may increase risk of death

Commonly prescribed sleeping pills may increase the risk of death more than fourfold, according to new research.

The higher the dose, the greater the risk of dying, while people on higher doses had an increased risk of cancer, experts found.

A wide range of drugs was analysed for the study of more than 10,500 people taking sleeping pills. They included drugs such as benzodiazepines (including temazepam and diazepam), non-benzodiazepines (including zolpidem, zopiclone and zaleplon), barbiturates and sedative antihistamines.