Patients who received direct education on discontinuation of benzodiazepine, a drug used to treat panic disorders, anxiety, insomnia and seizures, were more likely to stop using the drug than patients who did not receive such an intervention, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The American Board of Internal Medicine advises against the use of benzodiazepine drugs in adults 65 years old and over. To study the effects of direct educational intervention to reduce inappropriate patient use of the drug, 15 pharmacies delivered such an education intervention to patients and 15 pharmacies delivered usual care to long-term benzodiazepine users between 65 and 95 years old.
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Researchers found 62 percent of patients who received the educational intervention initiated a conversation regarding stopping use of the drug with a physician or pharmacist. Additionally, after six months, 27 percent of the intervention group had stopped benzodiazepine therapy, compared to only 5 percent of the control group.
Researchers suggest this "direct-to-consumer" education is effective in fostering shared decision making regarding inappropriate use of medication in older adults.
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