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Benzodiazepine Overuse in Elders: Defining the Problem and Potential Solutions
Todd Gress1, Mark Miller2, Charles Meadows1
1Internal Medicine, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, USA.
Cureus
|November 20, 2020
Summary
Benzodiazepine use is common in older adults (13.5%) and does not decrease with advanced age. This highlights the need for benzodiazepine deprescribing strategies in geriatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Benzodiazepine use is prevalent in older adults.
- Effective deprescribing strategies are needed for this population.
- Understanding current use patterns is crucial for developing interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of benzodiazepine use in adults aged 65 and older.
- To inform a benzodiazepine deprescribing strategy.
- To analyze benzodiazepine use across different age groups within the geriatric population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Analysis of admission medication data from 107,504 hospitalized adults aged 65+.
- Data collected from two West Virginia academic medical centers (2010-2018).
Main Results:
- The prevalence of benzodiazepine use was 13.5%.
- Benzodiazepine use remained consistent across age groups over 65, including those over 89.
- No significant decrease in use was observed with increasing age.
Conclusions:
- Benzodiazepine use is a significant issue in older adults, persisting even in the oldest age groups.
- Targeted assessment and deprescribing efforts are essential.
- Interventions should consider the consistent prevalence across advanced age.
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