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. 2008 Dec;40(12):617-21.
doi: 10.1016/s0212-6567(08)75695-6.

[Increased benzodiazepine use in elderly women attending urban primary health care centers]

[Article in Spanish]
Ferran Bejarano Romero  1 , Josep Lluís Piñol Moreso, Núria Mora Gilabert, Pere Claver Luque, Núria Brull López, Josep Basora Gallisa
Affiliations

[Increased benzodiazepine use in elderly women attending urban primary health care centers]

[Article in Spanish]
Ferran Bejarano Romero et al. Aten Primaria. 2008 Dec.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To determine the overall prevalence of the chronic use of benzodiazepines and similar drugs in primary care.

Design: Observational, cross-sectional study.

Setting: Healthcare centres of the Reus-Altebrat Primary Care Service, Tarragona, Spain.

Participants: Patients older than 15 years, on prolonged treatment with benzodiazepines or similar drugs.

Measurements: The variables studied were age, sex, type of healthcare centre (rural or urban), benzodiazepine, or similar drug administered and duration of treatment. RESULTS. There were 6885 patients who were on prolonged benzodiazepine or similar drug treatment, of which 70.9% were female, 73.4% were 65 years or older, and 73% attended an urban centre. The overall prevalence was 6.9%, and was higher among women than men (9.7% and 4%, respectively), and increased with age up to 27.3% among patients of 75 years or more. The stratified results showed that chronic consumption was higher among women 75 years of age or older attached to urban healthcare centres, with a prevalence of 35.7%.

Conclusions: A high percentage of our population, which includes the most fragile patients, use benzodiazepines or a similar drug in a way that is not consistent with the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines.

Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia global del consumo crónico de benzodiacepinas y sus análogos en atención primaria.

Diseño: Estudio transversal observacional.

Emplazamiento: Centros de salud del Servicio de Atención Primaria Reus-Altebrat.

Participantes: Pacientes con edad superior a 15 años, en tratamiento prolongado con benzodiacepinas o sus análogos.

Mediciones: Las variables analizadas fueron la edad, el sexo, el tipo de centro de salud (rural o urbano), la benzodiacepina o el análogo administrados y la duración del tratamiento.

Resultados: Habían utilizado una benzodiacepina o un análogo de forma prolongada 6.885 pacientes. El 70,9% eran mujeres, el 73,4% tenía 65 años o más, y el 73% estaba adscrito a un centro urbano. La prevalencia global fue del 6,9%, mayor entre las mujeres que entre los varones (9,7% y 4%, respectivamente), y aumentó con la edad hasta un 27,3% entre los pacientes de 75 o más años. En los resultados estratificados se observó que el consumo crónico era superior entre las mujeres de 75 o más años de edad adscritas a centros de salud urbanos, con una prevalencia del 35,7%.

Conclusiones: Un porcentaje elevado de la población, que comprende a los pacientes más frágiles, está siendo tratado con benzodiacepinas o análogos, lo que no se ajusta a las recomendaciones de las guías de práctica clínica.

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References

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