Global Trends in Deprescribing Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists in Older Adults: A Dual-Database Bibliometric and...

Objectives: Long-term or inappropriate use of benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs) in older adults is a medication-safety concern. This study mapped trends, contributors, knowledge structures, and research hotspots of BZRA deprescribing using a comparative dual-database bibliometric framework. Methods: English-language articles and reviews from 1 January 2008 to 21 May 2026 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and Scopus. Of the 377 WoSCC and 558 Scopus records entering topical relevance screening, 306 and 418, respectively, met the final eligibility criteria. Among the final datasets, 225 publications were shared, yielding 499 unique publications. The BIBLIO framework guided reporting. Analyses used R, bibliometrix, and VOSviewer, whereas CiteSpace-based analyses were restricted to WoSCC. Data for 2026 were partial; trend models used complete years through 2025. Results: Publication output showed an overall upward trend, with output during 2021-2025 generally higher than in earlier years. Quadratic models based on 2008-2025 data showed good fit for WoSCC (R² = 0.8890) and Scopus (R² = 0.9104). The United States, Canada, and Australia were leading contributors, and the University of Montreal was the leading institution (WoSCC, n = 19; Scopus, n = 18). Across both databases, themes evolved from withdrawal, discontinuation, and potentially inappropriate prescribing toward medication safety, prescription optimization, medication review, patient education, and implementation in primary care and long-term care settings. Conclusions: BZRA deprescribing research has broadened from drug discontinuation toward a patient-centered medication-safety and prescription-optimization framework. Future research should evaluate individualized tapering, nonpharmacological support, multidisciplinary care models, and standardized long-term patient-centered and safety outcomes.