Direct-to-Patient Education Limits Benzodiazepine Use in Older Adults

Although medical professional organizations have recommended against benzodiazepine use in older adults because of an association with excess risk for cognitive decline, falls, and hip fractures, physicians continue to write and refill prescriptions at a high rate. To test the effectiveness of direct-to-patient education on discontinuation of benzodiazepines, investigators in Canada randomized 30 pharmacies to provide a patient-education intervention or usual care to older adults for whom they refilled benzodiazepine prescriptions. About 300 participants (mean age, 75; 70% women; mean duration of benzodiazepine use, 10 years) were involved. The intervention group received booklets containing detailed assessments of their benzodiazepine use,…