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Patterns of Benzodiazepine use in Great Britain as Measured by a General Population Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

G. C. Dunbar ,
M. H. Perera  and
F. A. Jenner
G. C. Dunbar*
Affiliation:
CNS-Section, Headquarters Medical Department, Beecham Pharmaceuticals, 47–49 London Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9PQ
M. H. Perera
Affiliation:
University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, formerly Clinical Research Assistant, Department of Psychiatry, University of Sheffield
F. A. Jenner
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

In a general population survey by Gallup in Great Britain of 4148 subjects, 7.7% had taken benzodiazepines within the last year (male:female ratio 106:212). Younger subjects tended to take anxiolytics for shorter periods compared with older subjects, who often took hypnotics chronically. This pattern was most marked among females. Dosage escalation, tolerance, high daily dose usage, and hoarding were not common. A substantial proportion of current users had experienced difficulty in stopping their medication. Withdrawal problems were associated with being older than 45 years and consuming benzodiazepines for over 12 months. This lends support to the idea of benzodiazepine dependency. However, the appropriateness of long-term therapy for chronic symptoms cannot be ruled out.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 155 , Issue 6 , December 1989 , pp. 836 - 841
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

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