Abstract
Background: Benzodiazepines are driving-impairing medicines (DIM). This study presents current consumption of dispensed benzodiazepines in the Spanish general population, with a focus in pattern of use and concomitant medicines consumed with.Methods: A population-based registry study was carried out to assess the year-2016 granted benzodiazepines dispensation in Castile and León. Weighting was performed to obtain the adjusted benzodiazepine consumption for licensed drivers according to age and gender using our national drivers' license census data.Results: Benzodiazepines were used by 15.38% of the general population and 10.97% of drivers. Nearly 2% of the population and more than 1% of drivers took these medicines every day. The amount consumed (until 3 or more benzodiazepines per day) and concomitant use of other DIM were also higher. Women were the most frequent consumers, and anxiolytic use was usual. Consumption increases with age, but there were differences between men and women drivers from 60 years old.Conclusions: The current use of benzodiazepines must serve to awareness of the healthcare personnel, patients, and authorities on their risks, above all on the road safety.
Highlights
IntroductionDeath and disability that can cause, are important concerns for authorities, healthcare personnel, and drug developers
Road accident injuries, and death and disability that can cause, are important concerns for authorities, healthcare personnel, and drug developers
Benzodiazepines were considered as driving-impairing medicines (DIM) because these were dispensed provided of the pictogram ‘medicines and driving’ in the product characteristics summary and package insert (Real Decreto, 1345/2007; Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios, 2017b)
Summary
Death and disability that can cause, are important concerns for authorities, healthcare personnel, and drug developers. Benzodiazepines are typical and well-known DIM, and there is a demonstrated relation between such and road accidents (Barbone et al, 1998; Meesmann et al, 2011) These drugs belong to Benzodiazepine Use by the Population the DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol, and Medicines) category III, which forces their commercialization in Europe provided of harmonized warning labels in the product characteristics summary and package insert (Schulze et al, 2012). This study presents current consumption of dispensed benzodiazepines in the Spanish general population, with a focus in pattern of use and concomitant medicines consumed with
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