Study, May/17: Opioids & Other Central Nervous System-Active Polypharmacy...

The full title of this American study is "Opioids and Other Central Nervous System-Active Polypharmacy in Older Adults in the United States".

"RESULTS:  Of recent CNS polypharmacy visits, 76.2% included an opioid, and 61.8% included a benzodiazepine; 66.0% of the polypharmacy visits with benzodiazepines included opioids, and 53.3% of the polypharmacy visits with opioids included benzodiazepines. Between 2011 and 2013, opioid and benzodiazepine co-prescribing occurred at approximately 1.50 million visits (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23-1.78 million) annually. From 2004 (reference) to 2013, the proportion of polypharmacy visits with opioids rose from 69.6% to 76.2% (adjusted odds ratio = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.19-3.91, P = .01), and the corresponding proportion that included benzodiazepines fell. Of the polypharmacy visits, the odds of SSRI, NBRA, and antipsychotic use were unchanged, and that of TCAs decreased."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28467623