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(05/07/2025) VA Ann Arbor researchers learned Veterans with bipolar disorder were at increased risk for suicide when prescribed benzodiazepines for 30 days or more.  Benzodiazepines, or ‘benzos’ for short, are sedatives often prescribed for anxiety-related disorders. From electronic health records, the researchers identified more than 125,000 Veterans diagnosed with bipolar disorder in one year, 725 of whom died by suicide within five years. Those prescribed benzos for 30 days or longer had a 58% higher risk of dying by suicide. However, benzos prescriptions of less than 30 days did not increase the risk. The findings suggest a need for careful clinical monitoring and prescription management of bipolar Veterans who are prescribed benzos. (The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Mar. 12, 2025)