Mental disorders associated with benzodiazepine use among older primary care attenders - A regional survey

Background Benzodiazepines (BDZs) are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the elderly and their use is often too prolonged according to current international guidelines. Methods We investigated the pattern of use of BDZs among 65- to 84-year-old attenders at 40 Italian primary care practices who answered positively in a questionnaire on the use of anxiolytic/hypnotic drugs and successfully completed the PRIME-MD questionnaire. The survey lasted 6 months, from February to July 2001. Results Of the 1,156 subjects who completed the PRIME-MD, 748 subjects were positive for at least one psychiatric diagnosis. A depressive disorder was present in 36.5% of all PRIME-MD completers and in about one-third of cases represented by major depression, whereas anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders and alcohol abuse accounted for 18.2%, 8.1% and 1.7% of all PRIME-MD completers, respectively. Most patients were first prescribed BDZs by their General Practitioners (GPs) for each diagnostic group. However, patients with pure anxiety started BDZ treatment during hospitalisation more often (19.7%) than patients with depressive disorders (13.7%). Moreover, patients with comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders (CADD) were most likely to receive their first BDZ prescription from a psychiatrist (15.7%). Sleep disturbances were present in at least 50% of cases (and up to 86%) in each diagnostic group. About 75% of prescriptions concerned anxiolytic BDZ or medium/long-acting BDZ. Most patients with anxiety, CADD and depression used night-time BDZ (65.2%, 56.9% and 60.5%, respectively). The prevalence of chronic use of BDZs was equally high in all categories of psychiatric disorder (about 90% for each), showing that the vast majority of patients, irrespective of the diagnosis, had been using BDZs for years. Conclusions BDZs are widely prescribed for elderly people by their GPs, often for a considerable length of time. The evidence that many BDZ consumers suffer from a depressive or an anxiety disorder, or both, could be a starting point for encouraging a rational prescription in accordance with international guidelines.