Study: Ambien heightens risk of falling in hospital patients

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- There’s a new warning about the sleeping pill commonly known as Ambien.

A new study has a strong caution for hospital patients who are prescribed Ambien. They’re at a four times higher risk of taking a fall while staying in the hospital.

Just over three percent of patients on Ambien fell while in the hospital, compared to less than one percent of those not taking the drug.

The increased risk persisted even when researchers took into account the length of hospital stay and other risks for falling.

The authors cite other studies in which Zolpidem impaired balance in healthy volunteers and played a role in falling.