Trends in utilization of benzodiazepine and Z‐drugs in Israel

Abstract

Conventional BZDs and Z-drugs remained the treatment of choice for sleeping disorders in Israel during the study period. These results are, in certain cases, in contrast to current practice recommendations and guidelines and point at a need in better dissemination of these guidelines among prescribers in Israel.

Trends in the long‐term use of benzodiazepine anxiolytics and hypnotics: A national register study for 2006 to 2014

“…In line with previous reports of increased trends in zolpidem use, 36,38,45 we found zolpidem to be the only hypnotic with increased use, long-term use, and high-dose use. Previous studies 45,46 suggest that the long-term use of zolpidem may be more commonly associated with high-dose use and dose escalation than the use of zopiclone.…”

“…1 However, an overall declining trend in BZD use and long-term use as well as a high nationwide prevalence of long-term BZD use among the older persons was in line with the results from other countries. [1][2][3][6][7][8]11,36,37 In contrast to this, a recent analysis from Israel found a gradual increase in the overall and especially hypnotic BZD and Z-drug consumption, 38 and a recent French study found a decrease in the number of incident hypnotic users, but not among incident anxiolytic users. 39 Despite a great variation between 7 European countries in the age and gender adjusted prevalence of BZD use, 2 constant international elements in BZD use can be found 40 : the higher prevalence in women and the steadily increasing use with age.…”

Incidence of and Characteristics Associated With Long-term Benzodiazepine Use in Finland

“… 28 , 29 , 30 Concerns have also been raised about the increasing use of benzodiazepine-related drugs, often called Z-drugs, specifically, zolpidem. 28 , 30 , 31 …”

A high-throughput bioanalytical assay to support pharmacokinetic interaction study of oxycodone and diazepam in Sprague Dawley rats

“…7,8 Diazepam, is a medication of the benzodiazepine family, commonly used to treat a range of conditions including anxiety, 9,10 alcohol withdrawal syndrome, 11 muscle spasms, 12,13 seizures 14,15 and trouble sleeping. 16 Diazepam is majorly metabolized in the liver and mean plasma concentrations increased in approximate proportion to dose. 9 Analytical methods based on LC-MS for determination of oxycodone alone or with its major metabolites in a variety of matrices like human plasma, [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] blood and urine, 26 water samples 27 and in rat plasma 28,29 have been reported.…”