Has the New York State triplicate benzodiazepine prescription regulation influenced sedative-hypnotic overdoses?

A retrospective analysis of sedative-hypnotic overdoses reported to the New York City Poison Control Center (NYCPCC) for the years 1988 and 1989 was performed to evaluate the effects of the triplicate benzodiazepine (BZ) prescription program on the incidence and severity of sedative hypnotic overdoses. Although total BZ overdoses fell slightly, from 1,294 in 1988 to 1,265 in 1989, a statistically significant increase in non-benzodiazepine (NBZ) sedative-hypnotic overdoses, from 111 in 1988 to 144 in 1989, was noted. No difference in clinical outcomes between the two years could be demonstrated. These results suggest that the restriction of BZ failed to reduce the incidence or severity of sedative-hypnotic overdose, largely because of the substitution of similar nonrestricted agents.