Fraction of benzodiazpine prescriptions compliant [Ireland]

 

http://www.imt.ie/news/latest-news/2015/03/fraction-benzodiazpine-prescriptions-compliant.html

 

 

Here's the full article in case you can't get in.

 

 

A new study has revealed that less than a fifth of prescriptions for benzodiazepines and Z-drugs in Ireland are fully compliant with the recommendations and guidelines issued by the Benzodiazepine Committee more than a decade ago.

Researchers from the Schools of Pharmacy in TCD and Queen’s University Belfast carried out a prospective audit of 4,418 benzodiazepine and Z-drug prescriptions in 81 community pharmacies over a four week period in 2011.

The audit revealed that just 18.8 per cent (less than a fifth) were fully compliant with the assessment criteria. It also found that the majority of prescriptions (53.7%) had at least two discrepancies and more than a quarter had three or more discrepancies.

According to the study, published in the March issue of the IMJ (Vol 108, Number 3), the most commonly identified problems were that the lowest recommended dose was not prescribed (59.5% of cases) and the duration of treatment was non-compliant with the recommended period (54.1%).

“Overall, the findings suggest that little progress has been made in improving the prescribing of these medications in Ireland since publication of the Benzodiazepine Committee’s report,” the authors added.

They said the results also revealed that benzodiazepines and Z-drugs continued to be widely and frequently prescribed in Ireland, as data were collected on a large volume of prescriptions over a relatively short period. “If prescriptions were assessed over the intended four-week time frame, and taking the average number of prescriptions evaluated across the 81 participating pharmacies, this would yield an average of approximately two prescriptions presented in each pharmacy daily.”

Meanwhile, a separate study in the same issue of the IMJ revealed that the provision of an adequately resourced direct access ultrasound service for GPs resulted in an overall reduction in the number of referrals to hospital outpatient and emergency departments.

The research revealed that direct access to ultrasound for GPs meant that up to 1,046 patients were able to avoid an unnecessary outpatient visit.

By June Shannon

Qui, thanks so much for posting this article. I'm saddened to read it. When I came across those excellent guidelines from Ireland regarding benzodiazepine prescription, I was so impressed. I posted them in this section a little while ago, and they were roundly applauded. So, seeing this article now is quite disappointing. It would be good to know what the contributing factors are, but I can only guess how multifaceted they are.

Thanks for posting Qui.....there is nothing which can surprise

me anymore.