Benzodiazepine tranquilizers and the risk of accidental injury.
To determine whether benzodiazepine tranquilizers increase the risk of accidental injury requiring medical attention, we used pharmacy claims submitted to a large third-party payer to identify 4,554 persons who had been prescribed these agents and a matched control group of 13,662 persons who had been prescribed drugs other than benzodiazepines. We then used diagnoses recorded on claims submitted by medical care providers to identify all accident-related care received by these persons during three months before their first-observed prescription for a benzodiazepine or nonbenzodiazepine agent, respectively, and six months subsequently. We found accident-related care was more likely among persons who had been prescribed benzodiazepines; among these persons, the probability of an accident-related medical encounter was higher during months in which a prescription for a benzodiazepine had recently been filled compared to other months; and persons who had filled three or more prescriptions for these agents in the six months following initiation of therapy had a significantly higher risk of an accident-related medical event than those who had filled only one such prescription. Approximately two-fold risks of accident-related care were found, after controlling for age, sex, and prior utilization.
Oster
G
G
Policy Analysis Inc., Brookline, MA 02146.
Huse
D M
DM
Adams
S F
SF
Imbimbo
J
J
Russell
M W
MW
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines