One-time counselling decreases the use of benzodiazepines and related drugs among community-dwelling older persons.
BACKGROUND
evidence about possibilities to help older persons to withdraw the long-term use of benzodiazepines (BZD) is scarce. Effective and practicable methods are needed.


OBJECTIVE
the study aimed to assess the persistence of one-time counselling by a geriatrician to reduce psychotropic drugs, especially BZD and related drugs (RD).


METHODS
a prospective randomised controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up was conducted.


METHODS
five hundred ninety-one community-dwelling people aged 65 or older participated in the study.


METHODS
instructions to withdraw, reduce or change psychotropic drugs were given to the intervention group. A 1-h lecture about these drugs and their adverse effects was given later on. No changes in the drug therapy were suggested for the controls.


RESULTS
the number of regular users of BZD and RD decreased by 35% (12/34) (odds ratios (OR) = 0.61, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.44-0.86) in the intervention group while it increased by 4% (2/46) (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.81-1.36) in the controls (P = 0.012). No significant changes in the users of other types of psychotropics were found.


CONCLUSIONS
one-time counselling of psychotropics and other fall-risk-increasing drugs by a geriatrician followed with a 1-h lecture about adverse effects of these drugs had positive effects in decreasing the number of regular users of BZD and RD, and these effects persisted for the total 12-month intervention period.
Salonoja
Maritta
M
Department of Geriatrics, Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Sairaalantie 3 FI 28500, Finland.
Salminen
Marika
M
Aarnio
Pertti
P
Vahlberg
Tero
T
Kivelä
Sirkka-Liisa
SL
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012306:Risk
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines