Back to Search Start Over

Prescribing pattern of benzodiazepines in outpatients without a diagnosis of mental disorders: Retrospective study

Authors :
M Jelena Matović
J Mirko Stanetić
M Bojan Stanetic
D Kosana Stanetić
M Zaim Jatić
Đ Verica Petrović
M Brankica Marković
B Vesna Kević
Source :
Opšta Medicina, Vol 27, Iss 1-2, Pp 1-10 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Centre for Evaluation in Education and Science (CEON/CEES), 2021.

Abstract

Introduction: Benzodiazepines (BZD) are efficient drugs used to reduce anxiety, treat insomnia, or used as myorelaxants. BZDs are generally recommended for short-term use due to numerous side-effects and addiction. Objective: To investigate the prescribing pattern in family medicine outpatient clinics, in patients without the diagnosis of a mental disorder, and the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on BZD use. Method: A retrospective study of BZDs use, in a tenyear period (2009-2019), was conducted in patients treated in five family medicine teams of three primary health care centers in the Republic of Srpska. The study was carried out by reviewing electronic health records (EHRs) of patients above 18 years of age. The patients with the diagnosis of mental disorders were not recruited in the study. The study included 8560 EHRs, and 259 patients with the diagnosis of the mental disorders were excluded from the study. Results: Out of a total of 8301 analyzed EHRs, in 1044 (12.58%) patients at least one prescription for BZDs was found in a ten-year period. Females used BZDs in a greater percentage (71.07%), persons older than 65 years (44.54%), patients with secondary school education (60.44%), patients with chronic diseases (88.60%), patients living in an urban environment (75.96%). The most prescribed BZD was bromazepam (80.17%). Conclusion: The use of BZDs in our patients is quite considerable when compared to recommendations. The strategies to reduce BZD prescribing are necessary to reduce the chronic use of these drugs.

Details

ISSN :
22173994 and 03547132
Volume :
27
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Opsta medicina
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....1e3ce88c6263b92d163cab45bbae55de
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.5937/opmed2102001s