EVIDENCE LIBRARY
Swiss Primary Care Prescribing: Benzodiazepines Among a Small Group of Common Review Targets
A Swiss study found potentially inappropriate prescriptions concentrated in several familiar medication classes, including benzodiazepines.
A Swiss study found potentially inappropriate prescriptions concentrated in several familiar medication classes, including benzodiazepines.
What the baseline analysis measured
The investigators reviewed records for 429 community-dwelling patients aged at least 75 who were followed by 42 family physicians. Polypharmacy was present in 59.9%, and 76.7% had at least one medication identified by the applied Beers criteria. Benzodiazepines were among the commonly flagged classes, alongside several non-sedative drugs.
Population screening has limits
The analysis concerned prescribing criteria rather than measured medication injuries. Patients attending frequently and participating clinicians may not represent all older Swiss adults or all practices. The authors also relied on one criteria set, whose classifications do not replace individual clinical judgment. The reported 76.7% applies to any flagged medication, not to benzodiazepine exposure specifically. In a case review, obtain the actual drug, indication, duration, and administration history before linking a population-level prescribing concern to a particular outcome.
Source paper
Original analysis of the supplied journal article, identified as PMC7060976.