Use of benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety

Abstract

We examined the role of benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety by both psychiatrists and primary care physicians. Over the past year, 112.8 million prescriptions were filled for a benzodiazepine: 55 percent were prescribed by a primary care physician, 16 percent by a psychiatrist, and the remaining 29 percent of prescriptions by another type of specialty physician. Benzodiazepine monotherapy is much more common in the treatment of anxiety by primary care physicians (42%) than psychiatrists (22%). Even when both benzodiazepine monotherapy and combination regimens are considered, total benzodiazepine use remains slightly greater in primary care than psychiatry (51% vs. 42%).

Keywords: antidepressant; anxiety; benzodiazepine; combination therapy; monotherapy; primary care physician; psychiatrist.

FIGURE 1.

Specialty mix of benzodiazepine prescriptions (112.8M TRx) Source: SDI Health VONA, Benzodiazepine TRx, July 2007 to June 2008.

FIGURE 2.

Treatment of anxiety with antidepressants and benzodiazepines; regimens may also include antipsychotics, other anxiety agents (e.g., buspirone), mood stabilizers, or sleep aids. Source: SDI Health PDDA, Anxiety (ICD-9 diagnosis 300) July 2007 to June 2008.