Prescribing benzodiazepines for noninstitutionalized elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To describe benzodiazepine prescribing for elderly people living in the community in British Columbia, and to compare such prescribing with an indicator of current guidelines.


METHODS
Descriptive analysis of pharmacy billing data.


METHODS
Province of British Columbia.


METHODS
All elderly persons (age 65 and older) dispensed benzodiazepines by community pharmacies in British Columbia during 1990.


METHODS
Potentially inappropriate prescriptions were defined by a maximum 2-month limit of 20 diazepam equivalents daily, as determined by the BC Drug Usage Review Program in consultation with experts in the field. Physicians' rates of potentially inappropriate prescribing were determined per 100 benzodiazepine prescriptions written.


RESULTS
Almost 24% of elderly people in British Columbia were prescribed benzodiazepines at least once during 1990. Of these, 17.1% were given potentially inappropriate prescriptions. Physicians who prescribed benzodiazepines most frequently had the highest rates of potentially inappropriate prescriptions.


CONCLUSIONS
Prescribing practice does not correspond with our indicator of current guidelines.
Thomson
M
M
British Columbia Ministry of Health's Research and Evaluation Branch.
Smith
W A
WA
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D001955:British Columbia; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
D001569:Benzodiazepines