Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases: a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project

Consuelo Huerta; Victoria Abbing-Karahagopian; Gema Requena; Belén Oliva; Yolanda Alvarez; Helga Gardarsdottir; Montserrat Miret; Cornelia Schneider; Miguel Gil; Patrick C Souverein; Marie L De Bruin; Jim Slattery; Mark C H De Groot; Ulrik Hesse; Marietta Rottenkolber; Sven Schmiedl; Dolores Montero; Andrew Bate; Ana Ruigomez; Luis Alberto García-Rodríguez; Saga Johansson; Frank de Vries; Raymond G Schlienger; Robert F Reynolds; Olaf H Klungel; Francisco José de Abajo

doi:10.1002/pds.3825

Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases: a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project

Consuelo Huerta, Victoria Abbing-Karahagopian, Gema Requena, Belén Oliva, Yolanda Alvarez, Helga Gardarsdottir, Montserrat Miret, Cornelia Schneider, Miguel Gil, Patrick C Souverein, Marie L De Bruin, Jim Slattery, Mark C H De Groot, Ulrik Hesse, Marietta Rottenkolber, Sven Schmiedl, Dolores Montero, Andrew Bate, Ana Ruigomez, Luis Alberto García-RodríguezSaga Johansson, Frank de Vries, Raymond G Schlienger, Robert F Reynolds, Olaf H Klungel, Francisco José de Abajo

57 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSE: Studies on drug utilization usually do not allow direct cross-national comparisons because of differences in the respective applied methods. This study aimed to compare time trends in BZDs prescribing by applying a common protocol and analyses plan in seven European electronic healthcare databases.

METHODS: Crude and standardized prevalence rates of drug prescribing from 2001-2009 were calculated in databases from Spain, United Kingdon (UK), The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, BZD type [(using ATC codes), i.e. BZD-anxiolytics BZD-hypnotics, BZD-related drugs and clomethiazole], indication and number of prescription.

RESULTS: Crude prevalence rates of BZDs prescribing ranged from 570 to 1700 per 10,000 person-years over the study period. Standardization by age and sex did not substantially change the differences. Standardized prevalence rates increased in the Spanish (+13%) and UK databases (+2% and +8%) over the study period, while they decreased in the Dutch databases (-4% and -22%), the German (-12%) and Danish (-26%) database. Prevalence of anxiolytics outweighed that of hypnotics in the Spanish, Dutch and Bavarian databases, but the reverse was shown in the UK and Danish databases. Prevalence rates consistently increased with age and were two-fold higher in women than in men in all databases. A median of 18% of users received 10 or more prescriptions in 2008.

CONCLUSION: Although similar methods were applied, the prevalence of BZD prescribing varied considerably across different populations. Clinical factors related to BZDs and characteristics of the databases may explain these differences.

Original language	English
Journal	Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
Volume	25 Suppl 1
Pages (from-to)	56-65
Number of pages	10
ISSN	1053-8569
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.3825
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2016
Externally published	Yes

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Journal Article

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10.1002/pds.3825

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Huerta, C., Abbing-Karahagopian, V., Requena, G., Oliva, B., Alvarez, Y., Gardarsdottir, H., Miret, M., Schneider, C., Gil, M., Souverein, P. C., De Bruin, M. L., Slattery, J., De Groot, M. C. H., Hesse, U., Rottenkolber, M., Schmiedl, S., Montero, D., Bate, A., Ruigomez, A., ... de Abajo, F. J. (2016). Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases: a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 25 Suppl 1, 56-65. https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.3825

Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases : a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project. / Huerta, Consuelo; Abbing-Karahagopian, Victoria; Requena, Gema et al.

In: Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Vol. 25 Suppl 1, 01.03.2016, p. 56-65.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Huerta, C, Abbing-Karahagopian, V, Requena, G, Oliva, B, Alvarez, Y, Gardarsdottir, H, Miret, M, Schneider, C, Gil, M, Souverein, PC, De Bruin, ML, Slattery, J, De Groot, MCH, Hesse, U, Rottenkolber, M, Schmiedl, S, Montero, D, Bate, A, Ruigomez, A, García-Rodríguez, LA, Johansson, S, de Vries, F, Schlienger, RG, Reynolds, RF, Klungel, OH & de Abajo, FJ 2016, 'Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases: a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project', Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, vol. 25 Suppl 1, pp. 56-65. https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.3825

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title = "Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases: a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project",

abstract = "PURPOSE: Studies on drug utilization usually do not allow direct cross-national comparisons because of differences in the respective applied methods. This study aimed to compare time trends in BZDs prescribing by applying a common protocol and analyses plan in seven European electronic healthcare databases.METHODS: Crude and standardized prevalence rates of drug prescribing from 2001-2009 were calculated in databases from Spain, United Kingdon (UK), The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, BZD type [(using ATC codes), i.e. BZD-anxiolytics BZD-hypnotics, BZD-related drugs and clomethiazole], indication and number of prescription.RESULTS: Crude prevalence rates of BZDs prescribing ranged from 570 to 1700 per 10,000 person-years over the study period. Standardization by age and sex did not substantially change the differences. Standardized prevalence rates increased in the Spanish (+13%) and UK databases (+2% and +8%) over the study period, while they decreased in the Dutch databases (-4% and -22%), the German (-12%) and Danish (-26%) database. Prevalence of anxiolytics outweighed that of hypnotics in the Spanish, Dutch and Bavarian databases, but the reverse was shown in the UK and Danish databases. Prevalence rates consistently increased with age and were two-fold higher in women than in men in all databases. A median of 18% of users received 10 or more prescriptions in 2008.CONCLUSION: Although similar methods were applied, the prevalence of BZD prescribing varied considerably across different populations. Clinical factors related to BZDs and characteristics of the databases may explain these differences.",

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author = "Consuelo Huerta and Victoria Abbing-Karahagopian and Gema Requena and Bel{\'e}n Oliva and Yolanda Alvarez and Helga Gardarsdottir and Montserrat Miret and Cornelia Schneider and Miguel Gil and Souverein, {Patrick C} and {De Bruin}, {Marie L} and Jim Slattery and {De Groot}, {Mark C H} and Ulrik Hesse and Marietta Rottenkolber and Sven Schmiedl and Dolores Montero and Andrew Bate and Ana Ruigomez and Garc{\'i}a-Rodr{\'i}guez, {Luis Alberto} and Saga Johansson and {de Vries}, Frank and Schlienger, {Raymond G} and Reynolds, {Robert F} and Klungel, {Olaf H} and {de Abajo}, {Francisco Jos{\'e}}",

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year = "2016",

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day = "1",

doi = "10.1002/pds.3825",

language = "English",

volume = "25 Suppl 1",

pages = "56--65",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases

T2 - a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project

AU - Huerta, Consuelo

AU - Abbing-Karahagopian, Victoria

AU - Requena, Gema

AU - Oliva, Belén

AU - Alvarez, Yolanda

AU - Gardarsdottir, Helga

AU - Miret, Montserrat

AU - Schneider, Cornelia

AU - Gil, Miguel

AU - Souverein, Patrick C

AU - De Bruin, Marie L

AU - Slattery, Jim

AU - De Groot, Mark C H

AU - Hesse, Ulrik

AU - Rottenkolber, Marietta

AU - Schmiedl, Sven

AU - Montero, Dolores

AU - Bate, Andrew

AU - Ruigomez, Ana

AU - García-Rodríguez, Luis Alberto

AU - Johansson, Saga

AU - de Vries, Frank

AU - Schlienger, Raymond G

AU - Reynolds, Robert F

AU - Klungel, Olaf H

AU - de Abajo, Francisco José

PY - 2016/3/1

Y1 - 2016/3/1

N2 - PURPOSE: Studies on drug utilization usually do not allow direct cross-national comparisons because of differences in the respective applied methods. This study aimed to compare time trends in BZDs prescribing by applying a common protocol and analyses plan in seven European electronic healthcare databases.METHODS: Crude and standardized prevalence rates of drug prescribing from 2001-2009 were calculated in databases from Spain, United Kingdon (UK), The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, BZD type [(using ATC codes), i.e. BZD-anxiolytics BZD-hypnotics, BZD-related drugs and clomethiazole], indication and number of prescription.RESULTS: Crude prevalence rates of BZDs prescribing ranged from 570 to 1700 per 10,000 person-years over the study period. Standardization by age and sex did not substantially change the differences. Standardized prevalence rates increased in the Spanish (+13%) and UK databases (+2% and +8%) over the study period, while they decreased in the Dutch databases (-4% and -22%), the German (-12%) and Danish (-26%) database. Prevalence of anxiolytics outweighed that of hypnotics in the Spanish, Dutch and Bavarian databases, but the reverse was shown in the UK and Danish databases. Prevalence rates consistently increased with age and were two-fold higher in women than in men in all databases. A median of 18% of users received 10 or more prescriptions in 2008.CONCLUSION: Although similar methods were applied, the prevalence of BZD prescribing varied considerably across different populations. Clinical factors related to BZDs and characteristics of the databases may explain these differences.

AB - PURPOSE: Studies on drug utilization usually do not allow direct cross-national comparisons because of differences in the respective applied methods. This study aimed to compare time trends in BZDs prescribing by applying a common protocol and analyses plan in seven European electronic healthcare databases.METHODS: Crude and standardized prevalence rates of drug prescribing from 2001-2009 were calculated in databases from Spain, United Kingdon (UK), The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, BZD type [(using ATC codes), i.e. BZD-anxiolytics BZD-hypnotics, BZD-related drugs and clomethiazole], indication and number of prescription.RESULTS: Crude prevalence rates of BZDs prescribing ranged from 570 to 1700 per 10,000 person-years over the study period. Standardization by age and sex did not substantially change the differences. Standardized prevalence rates increased in the Spanish (+13%) and UK databases (+2% and +8%) over the study period, while they decreased in the Dutch databases (-4% and -22%), the German (-12%) and Danish (-26%) database. Prevalence of anxiolytics outweighed that of hypnotics in the Spanish, Dutch and Bavarian databases, but the reverse was shown in the UK and Danish databases. Prevalence rates consistently increased with age and were two-fold higher in women than in men in all databases. A median of 18% of users received 10 or more prescriptions in 2008.CONCLUSION: Although similar methods were applied, the prevalence of BZD prescribing varied considerably across different populations. Clinical factors related to BZDs and characteristics of the databases may explain these differences.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1002/pds.3825

DO - 10.1002/pds.3825

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26149383

SN - 1053-8569

VL - 25 Suppl 1

SP - 56

EP - 65

JO - Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety

JF - Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety

ER -

Exposure to benzodiazepines (anxiolytics, hypnotics and related drugs) in seven European electronic healthcare databases: a cross-national descriptive study from the PROTECT-EU Project

Abstract

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