Decreasing Trend in the Use and Long-Term Use of Benzodiazepines Among Young Adults

Tähkäpää, Sanna-Mari; Saastamoinen, Leena; Airaksinen, Marja; Tuulio‐Henriksson, Annamari; Aalto-Setälä, Terhi; Kurko, Terhi

doi:10.1089/cap.2017.0140

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Individual European country studies on the use of anxiolytics confirm a north–south divide, with southern European countries reporting an increase in the use of anxiolytics from 2006 onwards, 35 whereas northern European countries have reported a decrease, particularly in younger age groups (18–25 years). 36 , 37 Our study found high rates of consumption of tranquilisers in Serbia (94·50 DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day) and Croatia (80·26 DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day), which was similar to rates reported in a 2018 study on the impact of socioeconomic instability on benzodiazepine exposure in three Balkan countries. 38 Although socioeconomic instability could explain the difference seen between three eastern European countries in that study, 38 our results suggest that, on a global level, socioeconomic unrest can only partly explain the variation in the consumption of tranquilisers.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Psychotropic medicine consumption in 65 countries and regions, 2008–19: a longitudinal study

Brauer¹,

Alfageh

Blais

et al. 2021

The Lancet Psychiatry

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Psychotropic medicine consumption in 65 countries and regions, 2008–19: a longitudinal study

Brauer¹,

Alfageh

Blais

et al. 2021

The Lancet Psychiatry

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“…Similar trends have been found for z-hypnotics across other Nordic countries, including Denmark and Sweden, although the trends observed in Sweden have been somewhat inconsistent [ 42 , 54 ]. In Finland, declining trends have been observed for both benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics [ 50 ]. This indicates that the increased awareness of these drugs’ potential for misuse may have affected prescription practices.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Killing pain?: a population-based registry study of the use of prescription analgesics, anxiolytics, and hypnotics among all children, adolescents and young adults in Norway from 2004 to 2019

Stangeland

Handal

Aakvaag

et al. 2022

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry

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The ongoing opioid epidemic has been a global concern for years, increasingly due to its heavy toll on young people’s lives and prospects. Few studies have investigated trends in use of the wider range of drugs prescribed to alleviate pain, psychological distress and insomnia in children, adolescents and young adults. Our aim was to study dispensation as a proxy for use of prescription analgesics, anxiolytics and hypnotics across age groups (0–29 years) and sex over the last 15 years in a large, representative general population. The study used data from a nationwide prescription database, which included information on all drugs dispensed from any pharmacy in Norway from 2004 through 2019. Age-specific trends revealed that the prevalence of use among children and adolescents up to age 14 was consistently low, with the exception of a substantial increase in use of melatonin from age 5. From age 15–29, adolescents and young adults used more prescription drugs with increasing age at all time points, especially analgesics and drugs with higher potential for misuse. Time trends also revealed that children from age 5 were increasingly dispensed melatonin over time, while adolescents from age 15 were increasingly dispensed analgesics, including opioids, gabapentinoids and paracetamol. In contrast, use of benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics slightly declined in young adults over time. Although trends were similar for both sexes, females used more prescription drugs than their male peers overall. The upsurge in use of prescription analgesics, anxiolytics and hypnotics among young people is alarming.Trial registration The study is part of the overarching Killing Pain project. The rationale behind the Killing Pain research was pre-registered through ClinicalTrials.gov on April 7, 2020. Registration number NCT04336605; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04336605.

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“…There were also differences among the few international studies reporting recent trends of long‐term use of BZD, with a slight increase reported in Canada (2004–2013) 11 and a decrease observed in Finland (2006–2014), 13,21 while benzodiazepines alone have been decreased in Korea (2009–2013) 22 . In studies where benzodiazepines and z‐drugs were analyzed separately, a Canadian linked data study (2004–2013) reported a slight decline in long‐term benzodiazepine and an increase in long‐term z‐drug use, 11 whereas a US study using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (1999–2014) reported an increase in long‐term use of both, benzodiazepines and z‐drugs 14 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term benzodiazepines and z‐drug prescribing in Australian general practice between 2011 and 2018: A national study

Woods

Begum

González‐Chica

et al. 2021

Pharmacology Res & Perspec

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Despite reducing benzodiazepine prescribing, benzodiazepine‐involving deaths have substantially increased in Australia. This study aimed to explore patterns in long‐term prescribing of medications (benzodiazepine and z‐drugs [BZD]) used for sleep‐issues/insomnia in Australia to better understand these changes. Open cohort study using de‐identified electronic health records of 1 414 593 adult patients regularly attending 404 Australian general practices from 2011 to 2018 (MedicineInsight). We used logistic regression adjusted for patient and practice characteristics to; (1) estimate long‐term BZD prescribing prevalence (≥3 prescriptions in 6 months) and the associated sociodemographic factors, and (2) Poisson regression to compute annual changes in prescribing rates. Long‐term BZD prescribing changed from 4.4% in 2011 to 5.8% in 2015, remaining relatively stable until 2018 (annual increase +2.5% [95% CI +2.0%;+3.0%]). Long‐term BZD prescribing in any year was up to six times more likely in elderly rather than in younger patients and 30%–43% more prevalent in females, or patients living in or attending a practice located in more disadvantaged areas. The increase was more pronounced among males, adults aged 35–49 years, and individuals living in advantaged areas. The median duration among incident cases decreased from 1183 to 322 days between 2011 and 2017, and was up to 197 days longer among elderly females than males. Despite a slight increase and recent stability in long‐term BZD prescribing, the higher rates and durations among elderly patients, women, or those living in more disadvantaged areas are concerning and highlights the need for interventions that reduce the potential harms of long‐term BZD use in vulnerable groups.

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Decreasing Trend in the Use and Long-Term Use of Benzodiazepines Among Young Adults

Cited by 5 publications

References 26 publications

Psychotropic medicine consumption in 65 countries and regions, 2008–19: a longitudinal study

Psychotropic medicine consumption in 65 countries and regions, 2008–19: a longitudinal study

Killing pain?: a population-based registry study of the use of prescription analgesics, anxiolytics, and hypnotics among all children, adolescents and young adults in Norway from 2004 to 2019

Long‐term benzodiazepines and z‐drug prescribing in Australian general practice between 2011 and 2018: A national study

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