2010/12/30 by N. de Gier, W.J.M.J. Gorgels, Peter Lucassen +3 · 1 citation
Medicine · Psychology · #Benzodiazepine #Discontinuation #Intensive care medicine #Internal medicine #Medicine #Mental Health Treatment and Access #Pediatrics #Psychiatry #Sleep and related disorders #Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes #Term (time)
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/fampra/cmq113
openalex publication_date 2010/12/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
BACKGROUND: Several interventions aiming at discontinuation of long-term benzodiazepine use have been proven effective in the short term. However, data on the persistence of discontinuation are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To assess 10-year follow-up status in patients who succeeded in stopping benzodiazepine use after a discontinuation letter from the patient's own GP. To identify determinants of successful discontinuation on the long term. METHODS: Follow-up data of patients who participated in a large prospective, controlled stepped care intervention programme among long-term benzodiazepine users in primary care. RESULTS: At 10-year follow-up, the percentage of benzodiazepine abstinence was 58.8%. Non-abstinent patients used lower doses of benzodiazepine. Being abstinent at 21 months after the intervention predicted abstinence at 10-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Ten years after a minimal intervention to decrease long-term benzodiazepine use, the majority of patients who were able to discontinue benzodiazepine use initially, does not use benzodiazepines at 10-year follow-up. Patients who did not succeed in maintaining abstinence from benzodiazepines appear to use lower or average dosages.