Despite evidence suggesting overuse of benzodiazepine in older adults can be associated with dependence, the drug is potentially being over-prescribed to older adult stroke survivors, according to a study published Oct. 17 in Stroke.
Researchers from Boston-based Harvard Medical School and New Haven, Conn.-based Yale School of Medicine analyzed Medicare claims to determine how often older adults were prescribed benzodiazepine for the first time within 90 days after an ischemic stroke.
Here are five things to know from the study:
- Researchers studied Medicare claims of 126,050 stroke survivors aged 65 or more from April 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2021.
- Of the stroke survivors, 4.9% were prescribed benzodiazepine for the first time post-stroke.
- Lorazepam and alprazolam were the most prescribed benzodiazepines, at 40% and 33%, respectively .
- Of those, 76% were prescribed a day's supply over seven days, while 55% were prescribed a day's supply between 15 and 30 days.
- The rate of beneficiaries being prescribed benzodiazepine within 90 days of stroke hospitalization discharge decreased 1.6% between 2013 and 2021.