Hospital prescribing and usage of hypnotics and anxiolytics

In-patient prescribing and usage of hypnotic and anxiolytic drugs were surveyed in a teaching hospital for 4 to 6 weeks. Twenty-one percent of admissions were prescribed these drugs which were predominantly benzodiazepines. Few patients (1.6%) were discharged with such prescriptions and subsequent usage in the community was similar to that before admission to hospital (6.1% and 6.4% respectively). In-patient consumption increased with patient age and both prescriptions and consumption were greater in women than men.