Minimal interventions to decrease long-term use of benzodiazepines in primary care: a systematic review and meta-anatysis

摘要

Long-term use of benzodiazepines (BZDs) is common for anxiety disorders, insomnia, and other conditions. Their short-term benefits are well recognised, but their long-term use has risks in addition to dependence: daytime somnolence, blunted reflexes, memory impairment, and an increased risk of falls and hip fractures in older people. In a recent review comparing sedatives with placebo, cognitive events were 48 times, adverse psychomotor events 2.6 times, and reports of daytime fatigue 3.8 times more common, respectively. In the community, hypnotic use in those aged over 65 years is at least double (14%) that of younger people. It is even higher in older patients attending medical practices, with 26% of women and 6% of men using sleep medications.