Association Between Concurrent Use of Benzodiazepines and Opioids and Health Care Utilization Among Patients With...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine (BZD) use is common in cancer patients for symptom management.
• Understanding the associated healthcare utilization risks is crucial for patient safety and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between concurrent opioid and BZD use and emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admissions in cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage.
• Employed logistic and negative binomial regression analyses to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs).
• Assessed the association between concurrent opioid and BZD use (overlap ≥ 7 days) and ER visits/hospital admissions.

Main Results:

• Concurrent opioid and BZD use was significantly associated with increased ER visits (OR, 1.28) and hospital admissions (OR, 1.42) compared to BZDs alone.
• A significant association was also observed for ER visits (IRR, 1.52) and hospitalizations (IRR, 1.34) compared to BZDs alone.
• Compared to opioid use alone, concurrent use showed significance for ER visits (IRR, 1.39) but not hospital admissions.

Conclusions:

• Coprescribing opioids and benzodiazepines in cancer patients may increase the likelihood of ER visits and hospitalizations.
• Clinical evaluation is warranted before prescribing concurrent opioids and BZDs to this vulnerable population.
• Findings highlight the need for careful medication management to mitigate healthcare utilization risks.