August 16th 2024
By Ailsa Colquhoun
New B-Z drug medicine review guidance published
New prescribing guidance for benzodiazepine and z-drugs in adults is available from NHS Scotland.
The guide highlights the role of non-pharmaceutical and evidence-based psychological interventions in treatment, as well as the groups of people that receive B-Z who could be prioritised for a proactive medicines review. These cover the following:
- People recently discharged from hospital on new B-Z
- People receiving long-term (≥8 weeks) treatment
- Older adults (≥65 years)
- People with dementia and/or receiving other medicines that may cause cognitive dysfunction e.g. anticholinergic medicines
- Care home residents
- People receiving polypharmacy
- Higher risk of falls
- People receiving B-Z and opioids e.g. oxycodone, morphine, tramadol etc.
- People receiving other psychotropic medicines e.g. antidepressants, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids etc.
- People receiving high dose B-Z combinations: >30mg per day diazepam equivalent
- People receiving diazepam 10mg tablets – ‘blues’
- People who report/present with street/non-prescribed B-Z use
