Elisabeth Anna Pek1, Andrew Remfry1, Ciara Pendrith2, Chris Fan-Lun3, R Sacha Bhatia4, Christine Soong5. 1. Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario. 2. Institute of Health System Solutions and Virtual Care, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. 3. Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Ontario. 4. Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario; Women's College Hospital Institute for Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care, Toronto, Ontario; Division of Cardiology, Women's College Hospital and University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. 5. Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario; Division of General Internal Medicine, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario; Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines and sedative hypnotics are commonly used to treat insomnia and agitation in older adults despite significant risk. A clear understanding of the extent of the problem and its contributors is required to implement effective interventions. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of hospitalized older adults who are inappropriately prescribed benzodiazepines or sedative hypnotics, and to identify patient and prescriber factors associated with increased prescriptions. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective observational study. SETTING: Urban academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Medical-surgical inpatients aged 65 or older who were newly prescribed a benzodiazepine or zopiclone. MEASUREMENTS: Our primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were prescribed a potentially inappropriate benzodiazepine or sedative hypnotic. Potentially inappropriate indications included new prescriptions for insomnia or agitation/anxiety. We used a multivariable random-intercept logistic regression model to identify patient- and prescriber-level variables that were associated with potentially inappropriate prescriptions. RESULTS: Of 1308 patients, 208 (15.9%) received a potentially inappropriate prescription. The majority of prescriptions, 254 (77.4%), were potentially inappropriate. Of these, most were prescribed for insomnia (222; 87.4%) and during overnight hours (159; 62.3%). Admission to a surgical or specialty service was associated with significantly increased odds of potentially inappropriate prescription compared to the general internal medicine service (odds ratio [OR], 6.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.70-16.17). Prescription by an attending physician or fellow was associated with significantly fewer prescriptions compared to first-year trainees (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.08-0.93). Nighttime prescriptions did not reach significance in initial bivariate analyses but were associated with increased odds of potentially inappropriate prescription in our regression model (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 2.21-9.06). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of newly prescribed benzodiazepines and sedative hypnotics were potentially inappropriate and were primarily prescribed as sleep aids. Future interventions should focus on the development of safe sleep protocols and education targeted at first-year trainees.Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:310-316.
BACKGROUND:Benzodiazepines and sedative hypnotics are commonly used to treat insomnia and agitation in older adults despite significant risk. A clear understanding of the extent of the problem and its contributors is required to implement effective interventions. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of hospitalized older adults who are inappropriately prescribed benzodiazepines or sedative hypnotics, and to identify patient and prescriber factors associated with increased prescriptions. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective observational study. SETTING: Urban academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Medical-surgical inpatients aged 65 or older who were newly prescribed a benzodiazepine or zopiclone. MEASUREMENTS: Our primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were prescribed a potentially inappropriate benzodiazepine or sedative hypnotic. Potentially inappropriate indications included new prescriptions for insomnia or agitation/anxiety. We used a multivariable random-intercept logistic regression model to identify patient- and prescriber-level variables that were associated with potentially inappropriate prescriptions. RESULTS: Of 1308 patients, 208 (15.9%) received a potentially inappropriate prescription. The majority of prescriptions, 254 (77.4%), were potentially inappropriate. Of these, most were prescribed for insomnia (222; 87.4%) and during overnight hours (159; 62.3%). Admission to a surgical or specialty service was associated with significantly increased odds of potentially inappropriate prescription compared to the general internal medicine service (odds ratio [OR], 6.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.70-16.17). Prescription by an attending physician or fellow was associated with significantly fewer prescriptions compared to first-year trainees (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.08-0.93). Nighttime prescriptions did not reach significance in initial bivariate analyses but were associated with increased odds of potentially inappropriate prescription in our regression model (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 2.21-9.06). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of newly prescribed benzodiazepines and sedative hypnotics were potentially inappropriate and were primarily prescribed as sleep aids. Future interventions should focus on the development of safe sleep protocols and education targeted at first-year trainees.Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:310-316.
Authors: Christine Soong; Cheryl Ethier; Yuna Lee; Dalia Othman; Lisa Burry; Peter E Wu; Karen A Ng; John Matelski; Barbara Liu Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2022-01-03 Impact factor: 6.473
Authors: Heather L Neville; Mia Losier; Jennifer Pitman; Melissa Gehrig; Jennifer E Isenor; Laura V Minard; Ellen Penny; Susan K Bowles Journal: Can J Hosp Pharm Date: 2020-06-01
Authors: Laurence Schumacher; Maria Dobrinas; Damien Tagan; Annelore Sautebin; Anne-Laure Blanc; Nicolas Widmer Journal: Drugs Real World Outcomes Date: 2017-12