Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28520804›Full record

ArticlePloS one2017

Inpatient Z-drug use commonly exceeds safe dosing recommendations.

Todd C Lee, André Bonnici, Robyn Tamblyn, Emily G McDonald

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Dependence on zopiclone: a case report.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Todd C LeeDepartment of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada.
André BonniciPharmacy Department, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada.
Robyn TamblynDepartment of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada.
Emily G McDonaldDepartment of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

importanceIn 2016 recommendations for safer prescribing practices were circulated to all doctors in one of Canada's largest provinces, by the college of physicians, following a coroner's inquest into a vehicular death related to Z-drug use. We sought to determine how frequently Z-drug prescriptions in our institution were not adhering to these recommendations.

designRetrospective cohort study.

settingMcGill University Health Centre, an 832-bed tertiary care institution in Montréal, Canada.

participantsAll adult non-obstetrical patients admitted between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016. EXPOSURE: The receipt of at least one dose of Z-drug as determined by pharmacy records. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Adherence to four recommendations related to starting dose, maximal dose, concomitant drug administration, and duration of use were evaluated.

results1,409 unique patients received a Z-drug during 1,783 admissions representing use in 9.3% of non-obstetrical patients. Standing orders were seen in 42% (745/1783) of admissions. Non-conformity with the coroner's recommendations was common. Overall, 672/1783 (38%) admissions involved a patient receiving more than the recommended daily maximum dose (643/999 older patients, 64%). Of 607 admissions which were longer than 10 days, 257 (39%) involved a prescription which exceeded 10 days. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A coroner's recommendation that doctors receive instructions about safe Z-drug prescribing is unprecedented, and was likely required given that use of Z-drugs occurs at doses and durations that often exceed best practice recommendations. Similar interventions may be required in other jurisdictions.

Indexed as

InpatientsCanadaDrug PrescriptionsFemaleHumansHypnotics and SedativesMalePractice Guidelines as TopicRetrospective StudiesHypnotics and Sedatives

Identifiers

PMID28520804
PMCPMC5453707

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.