Hospital prescribing and usage of hypnotics and anxiolytics.
In-patient prescribing and usage of hypnotic and anxiolytic drugs were surveyed in a teaching hospital for 4 to 6 weeks. Twenty-one percent of admissions were prescribed these drugs which were predominantly benzodiazepines. Few patients (1.6%) were discharged with such prescriptions and subsequent usage in the community was similar to that before admission to hospital (6.1% and 6.4% respectively). In-patient consumption increased with patient age and both prescriptions and consumption were greater in women than men.
Wolfson Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
C
C
Edwards
J L
JL
Bushnell
C H
CH
Ashton
M D
MD
Rawlins
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives