Taking Policy Action to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use and Promote Self-Care Among Seniors

Abstract

This article reviews current knowledge on the risks and benefits of benzodiazepine use for seniors and addresses potential policies that could be made to reduce use and support sentors' mental health. Although seniors are only 12% to 15% of the population, they consume between 35% and 52% of all benzodiazepines prescribed in Canada and the United States. Despite significant long-term use among seniors, relatively few studies demonstrate the efficacy of more than short-term use for anxiety and insomnia. There is significant data to suggest that use is associated with increased potential for injury, cognitive and memory deficits, and a dependency syndrome. This article argues that the current controversy rests not so much in the scientific data but in the willingness of clinicians to interpret and act on that information. As internationally developed guidelines for practice suggest that benzodiazepine treatment for anxiety and insomnia may not be without risks, other first-line treatments should be developed.