Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed to patients with drug use disorders. However, it has previously been difficult to distinguish whether this frequent prescribing was due to underlying psychiatric disorders or inappropriate prescribing.
In a nationwide cohort study, researchers from SERAF investigated the prescribing of benzodiazepines to patients with drug use disorders in connection with treatment admission.
A total of 33,203 drug users admitting for treatment in Denmark, during 2000 to 2010, were included in the study by using linked data from nationwide health registries.
During the first year after admission to treatment, about 25 % of the patients were prescribed benzodiazepines. This is approximately five times higher than the general population. Particularly patients with opioid use were prescribed benzodiazepines more often.
In general, a high proportion of patients were prescribed multiple and non-optimal types, high doses and very long-term prescriptions of benzodiazepines. Admitting to treatment for a drug use disorder did not increase the specialized psychiatric treatment coverage of this patient group, regardless of prescribed benzodiazepines.
These findings combined point towards inappropriate prescribing of benzodiazepines towards patients in drug treatment in many cases more so than appropriate treatment for psychiatric disorders.
The article "Benzodiazepine prescription for patients in treatment for drug use disorders: a nationwide cohort study in Denmark, 2000–2010" was published in BMC Psychiatry.