Patterns of benzodiazepine usage in a family medicine centre.

In a one year survey of the use of diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and flurazepam at a university family medicine centre, the per capita prescribing of the three drugs rose with the age of the patients. Diazepam was used approximately four times as frequently as chlordiazepoxide and for four times as many problems, even though it has similar pharmacological properties and a half-life nearly three times that of chlordiazepoxide. The over 65 age group received 36% of prescriptions for diazepam for more than six months, compared to three percent in the under 65 age group. Use of lower doses of shorter acting benzodiazepines in the over 65 age group, for a shorter duration, seems to be more rational than patterns determined in the study. A follow up study to measure the impact of the findings on the physicians' prescribing patterns is planned.