Skip to main content
PMC home page
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1989 Nov 1;141(9):917–921.

Benzodiazepine use and abuse in Canada.

U Busto 1, K L Lanctôt 1, P Isaac 1, M Adrian 1
PMCID: PMC1451463  PMID: 2804849

Abstract

Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed, yet the extent of their use in Canada has not been described. Such data would be valuable in assessing patient exposure to benzodiazepines and would provide a context to estimate the risk-benefit ratio of these drugs. Analysis of benzodiazepine sales in 1978-87 in Canada, expressed as the defined daily dose (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day, showed that the use of these drugs was stable during the first half of the decade, at 33 DDD/1000 inhabitants per day, then steadily increased from 1983 to 1987, reaching 48 DDD/1000 inhabitants per day in 1987. The total use of slowly eliminated benzodiazepines declined, whereas the overall use of rapidly eliminated benzodiazepines increased linearly. In 1978-83 Canada had the second-lowest total benzodiazepine use among several Western countries. The patterns of use and abuse of rapidly eliminated benzodiazepines in 1978-84 showed a close correlation. Our findings indicate that data on drug use can be monitored and linked to clinical data, providing a mechanism for monitoring the relation between use and related illness.

Full text

PDF
919

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Balter M. B., Manheimer D. I., Mellinger G. D., Uhlenhuth E. H. A cross-national comparison of anti-anxiety/sedative drug use. Curr Med Res Opin. 1984;8 (Suppl 4):5–20. doi: 10.1185/03007998409109541. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bergman U., Sjöqvist F. Measurement of drug utilization in Sweden: methodological and clinical implications. Acta Med Scand Suppl. 1984;683:15–22. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1984.tb08709.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Boethius G., Westerholm B. Purchases of hypnotics, sedatives and minor tranquillizers among 2,566 individuals in the county of Jämtland, Sweden. A 6-year follow-up. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1977 Aug;56(2):147–159. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1977.tb06673.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Busto U., Bendayan R., Sellers E. M. Clinical pharmacokinetics of non-opiate abused drugs. Clin Pharmacokinet. 1989 Jan;16(1):1–26. doi: 10.2165/00003088-198916010-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Busto U., Sellers E. M., Naranjo C. A., Cappell H., Sanchez-Craig M., Sykora K. Withdrawal reaction after long-term therapeutic use of benzodiazepines. N Engl J Med. 1986 Oct 2;315(14):854–859. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198610023151403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cooperstock R. A review of women's psychotropic drug use. Can J Psychiatry. 1979 Feb;24(1):29–34. doi: 10.1177/070674377902400107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cooperstock R., Parnell P. Research on psychotropic drug use. A review of findings and methods. Soc Sci Med. 1982;16(12):1179–1196. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(82)90143-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kales A., Soldatos C. R., Bixler E. O., Kales J. D. Rebound insomnia and rebound anxiety: a review. Pharmacology. 1983;26(3):121–137. doi: 10.1159/000137794. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Moran M. G., Thompson T. L., 2nd, Nies A. S. Sleep disorders in the elderly. Am J Psychiatry. 1988 Nov;145(11):1369–1378. doi: 10.1176/ajp.145.11.1369. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Power B., Downey W., Schnell B. R. Utilization of psychotropic drugs in Saskatchewan: 1977-1980. Can J Psychiatry. 1983 Nov;28(7):547–551. doi: 10.1177/070674378302800708. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ray W. A., Griffin M. R., Schaffner W., Baugh D. K., Melton L. J., 3rd Psychotropic drug use and the risk of hip fracture. N Engl J Med. 1987 Feb 12;316(7):363–369. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198702123160702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rickels K., Case W. G., Schweizer E. E., Swenson C., Fridman R. B. Low-dose dependence in chronic benzodiazepine users: a preliminary report on 119 patients. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1986;22(2):407–415. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Shapiro S., Skinner E. A., Kessler L. G., Von Korff M., German P. S., Tischler G. L., Leaf P. J., Benham L., Cottler L., Regier D. A. Utilization of health and mental health services. Three Epidemiologic Catchment Area sites. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984 Oct;41(10):971–978. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1984.01790210053007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

RESOURCES