Postoperative delirium is one of the most common postoperative complications in elderly patients, affecting the outcome of approximately half of surgical patients. The pathogenesis of postoperative delirium is still unclear, but multivariate models of the etiology of postoperative delirium are well-validated and widely accepted, and 40% of postoperative delirium can be effectively prevented by targeting predisposing factors. Benzodiazepines have long been considered as predisposing factors for postoperative delirium. Although benzodiazepines are widely used in clinical practice, most relevant guidelines recommend avoiding the use of benzodiazepines in the perioperative period to reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium. Controversy exists regarding the association of benzodiazepine use with postoperative delirium. This article discusses the results of studies on perioperative benzodiazepines and postoperative delirium.
