US benzodiazepine dispensing fell 26.7% from 2013 to 2024
A cross-sectional analysis of IQVIA prescription data covering over 1.1 billion fills examined national benzodiazepine dispensing trends from 2013 to 2024 by patient age and prescriber type. The study reported an overall 26.7% decline in dispensing prevalence, with the largest relative drop among adults aged 18-29, alongside sharp declines in prescribing by pain medicine specialists, primary care physicians, and psychiatrists, while dispensing by advanced practice providers more than doubled. The authors noted that mean dose per prescription also decreased across all age groups and prescriber types, which they suggest may reflect greater caution related to safety considerations and labeling changes.
Most relevant for: Clinicians across primary care, pain medicine, psychiatry, and advanced practice settings who prescribe benzodiazepines, particularly for young adult patients.
Read the original at The American Journal of PsychiatrySummary written by an AI model from the source text and dated by the source's publication date. Check the original before acting on it. How MedFollow selects and summarizes updates.
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