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Benzodiazepine prescribing guideline adherence and misuse potential in Irish minors
Kevin D Murphy1, Laura J Sahm2, Suzanne McCarthy2
1Pharmaceutical Care Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, College Road, Cork, Ireland. kevin.murphy@ucc.ie.
Background:
The Good Prescribing Practice for Clinicians guidelines were published in 2002 in Ireland to guide General Practitioners about prescribing benzodiazepines. There has been no research to-date to measure compliance by General Practitioners. Inappropriate prescribing to minors may result in increased use or misuse of benzodiazepines.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prescribing of benzodiazepines to minors in Ireland against the Good Prescribing Practice for Clinicians guidelines.
Method:
Data for medicines dispensed between January 2009 and December 2012 from the Health Intelligence Ireland database were accessed and analysed. This database contains information about government-subsidised community-pharmacy-dispensed medicines.
Results:
Benzodiazepine prescribing to minors increased by 10.2% between 2009 and 2012. Almost 15% of patients (n = 2193) were prescribed benzodiazepines for greater than four weeks; which contravenes the guidelines. Approximately half (51.4%) of prescribers who contravened this guideline, prescribed all their benzodiazepines in quantities of greater than one week, against the recommendations of the guidelines.
Conclusion:
The consequences of prescribing against National Guidelines can result in patients who become long-term benzodiazepine users and thus place an increased burden upon the healthcare system. The reasons for non-compliance by GPs should be investigated to find solutions.