ArticleJournal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)2022
Comparative safety of chronic versus intermittent benzodiazepine prescribing in older adults: A population-based cohort study.
Article in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pharmacological treatments in panic disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- A 21-year Comparative Study of Prescriptions of Benzodiazepines and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Related Drugs in a Japanese University Hospital.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Assessing Associations of Three Types of Higher-Risk Medication Use and Mortality in Older Adults.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- Optimizing Benzodiazepine Use for Chronic Insomnia: Insights from a Delphi Expert Consensus Study.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2026Article
- Benzodiazepine Initiation and the Risk of Falls or Fall-Related Injuries in Older Adults Following Acute Ischemic Stroke.Neurology. Clinical practice · 2025Article
- Psychiatric and racial/ethnic differences in incident and long-term benzodiazepine use: A commercial healthcare claims study.Journal of psychiatric research · 2025Article
- Interaction effects of alcohol consumption and dizziness/vertigo on fall risk in psychiatric Inpatients: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Insomnia in seasonal affective disorder: considering the use of benzodiazepines with a focus on lormetazepam.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Review
- Benzos (as) needed: research into as-needed and intermittent benzodiazepines for anxiety is required for comprehensive best prescribing practices.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Review
- Prescribing and deprescribing guidance for benzodiazepine and benzodiazepine receptor agonist use in adults with depression, anxiety, and insomnia: an international scoping review.EClinicalMedicine · 2024Article
- Prevalence, country-specific prescribing patterns and determinants of benzodiazepine use in community-residing older adults in 7 European countries.BMC geriatrics · 2024Article
- Transitions in Prescription Benzodiazepine Use and Misuse and in Substance Use Disorder Symptoms Through Age 50.Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) · 2023Article
- Hypnotics and injuries among older adults with Parkinson's disease: a nested case-control design.BMC geriatrics · 2023Article
- Optimizing treatment for older adults with depression.Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology · 2023Review
- Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Patients with Dementia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBenzodiazepine treatment recommendations for older adults differ markedly between guidelines, especially their advice on the acceptability of long-term use.
aimsUsing population-based data we compared risks associated with chronic versus intermittent benzodiazepine usage in older adults. The primary outcome was falls resulting in hospital/emergency department visits.
methodsWe undertook a retrospective population-based cohort study using linked healthcare databases in adults aged ⩾ 66 years in Ontario, Canada, with a first prescription for benzodiazepines. Chronic and intermittent benzodiazepine users, based on the 180 days from index prescription, were matched (1:2 ratio) by sex, age and propensity score, then followed for up to 360 days. Hazard ratios (HRs) for outcomes were calculated from Cox regression models.
resultsA total of 57,041 chronic and 113,839 matched intermittent users were included. Hospitalization/emergency department visits for falls occurred during follow up in 4.6% chronic versus 3.2% intermittent users (HR = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08 to 1.19;
conclusionOur study demonstrates evidence of significant excess risks associated with chronic benzodiazepine use compared to intermittent use. The excess risks may inform decision-making by older adults and clinicians about whether short- or long-term benzodiazepine use is a reasonable option for symptom management.
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Registered trials
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