Martinez-Cengotitabengoa Monica, Diaz-Gutierrez Maria Jose, Besga Ariadna, Bermúdez-Ampudia Cristina, López Purificación, Rondon Marta B, Stewart Donna E, Perez Patricia, Gutierrez Miguel, Gonzalez-Pinto Ana
CIBERSAM, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Hospital Universitario Araba, BioAraba Research Institute, Vitoria, España; Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)-Centro Asociado en Vitoria, Vitoria, España.
Farmacia Inés Barrenechea, Getxo, España.
Rev Psiquiatr Salud Ment (Engl Ed). 2018 Jan-Mar;11(1):12-18. doi: 10.1016/j.rpsm.2017.01.004. Epub 2017 Mar 2.
Despite cautions by professional associations, benzodiazepines (BZD) and Z hypnotics (BZD/Z) are widely prescribed to older adults who are particularly susceptible to insomnia and anxiety, but who are also more sensitive to drugs adverse events. In this study, we assessed the prescription of BZD/Z drugs in a sample of older adults (≥65) who presented for emergency care after a fall.
We collected the type, number and dose of BZD/Z drugs prescribed and explored gender differences in the prescription.
BZD/Z drugs were prescribed to 43.6% of the sample (n=654) and more frequently to women; 78.4% of prescriptions were for BZD/Z drugs with a short half-life. The majority of patients (83.5%) were prescribed only one type of BZD/Z, but 16.5% had been prescribed multiple BZD/Z drugs, with no gender difference. Doses higher than those recommended for older adults were prescribed to 58% of patients, being the doses significantly higher for men compared to women (70.0% vs 53.1%).
Over 40% of older adults presenting for emergency care after a fall had previously been prescribed BZD/Z drugs. Some important gender differences in the prescription of BZD/Z drugs were seen, especially prescription above the recommended dose and of drugs with a long-half life.
尽管专业协会提出了警示，但苯二氮䓬类药物（BZD）和Z类催眠药（BZD/Z）仍被广泛开给老年人，他们特别容易患失眠和焦虑症，但对药物不良事件也更敏感。在本研究中，我们评估了在跌倒后前来接受急诊护理的老年人（≥65岁）样本中BZD/Z药物的处方情况。
我们收集了所开BZD/Z药物的类型、数量和剂量，并探讨了处方中的性别差异。
43.6%的样本（n = 654）被开了BZD/Z药物，女性的开药频率更高；78.4%的处方是开半衰期短的BZD/Z药物。大多数患者（83.5%）只被开了一种BZD/Z药物，但16.5%的患者被开了多种BZD/Z药物，无性别差异。58%的患者所开剂量高于老年人推荐剂量，男性的剂量明显高于女性（70.0%对53.1%）。
超过40%在跌倒后前来接受急诊护理的老年人之前被开了BZD/Z药物。在BZD/Z药物处方方面存在一些重要的性别差异，特别是高于推荐剂量以及开半衰期长的药物的处方。
