Purpose
This toolkit was created to support the implementation of interventions designed to reduce unnecessary use of benzodiazepines or other sedative-hypnotics (BSH) among older adults (age 65 and above) in your hospital. It can be used by physician groups, clinical services or organizations to help achieve significant reductions in overuse of BSH. By using the interventions mentioned in this toolkit, potentially inappropriate sedative-hypnotic prescriptions can be decreased by over 40%, without increases in prescriptions of other sedative agents.
Contents
- Establish an interprofessional team
- Consensus criteria for appropriate indications for BSH initiation
- Implementing non-pharmacological strategies to promote sleep
- Restrictive initiation of BSH
- Benzodiazepine and Z-Drug (BZRA) Deprescibing Algorithm
- Measuring your performance
- Sustaining early successes
- Additional Resources
- References
Type of Tool:
- Toolkit
Links to Related Tools / Resources:
Inappropriate benzodiazepine use in elderly patients and its reductionManagement of insomnia and long-term use of sedative-hypnotic drugs in older patientsAn FAQ Explaining the Use of Benzodiazepine Sedative Hypnotic Medications in the ElderlyReducing the Risk of Adverse Drug Events in Older Adults