{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T18:39:00Z","timestamp":1788979140817,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761091200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":1,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100010414","name":"Health Research Board in Ireland","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100010414","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Secondary Data Analysis Projects","award":["SDAP-2019-023"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SDAP-2019-023"]}]},{"name":"HRB Emerging Clinician Scientist Award","award":["ECSA\/2020\/002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ECSA\/2020\/002"]}]},{"name":"HRB Applying Research into Policy and Practice Award","award":["ARPP\/2020\/004"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ARPP\/2020\/004"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,21]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The trends in sedative use have varied in recent years. Benzodiazepines and z-drugs are indicated for anxiety and\/or sleep disorders but should be limited to short-term use. The aim of this study is to examine trends and patterns in sedative prescribing in Ireland between 2014 and 2022, as well as comparing trends between Ireland and England within the same period.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Monthly data on medicines prescribed and dispensed in primary care on the means-tested General Medical Services (GMS) scheme in Ireland were used. Volumes of prescribed benzodiazepine and z-drug use and patterns of prescribing, including initiations, discontinuations, chronic use, and high-risk prescribing were summarized per year. Other sedating agents (sedating antihistamines, antidepressants, and antipsychotics) were also analysed. Volume of use outcomes were compared with NHS data from England for the same period.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The rate of benzodiazepine and z-drug dispensings per 1000 GMS population decreased by 5%, from 1531 in 2014 to 1474 in 2022. By comparison in England, there was a steeper decrease of 27% in the dispensing rate and the level of use was substantially lower, falling from 288 dispensings per 1000 population in 2014 to 210 in 2022. In Ireland, dispensing rates were highest amongst women and older age groups. High-risk dispensings of benzodiazepines and z-drugs decreased over the study period.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Despite decreases in benzodiazepine and z-drug dispensings, rates remain high in Ireland and may suggest a need for enhanced availability of non-pharmacological interventions, and improved education and deprescribing support for healthcare professionals.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/cmaf078","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,26]],"date-time":"2025-09-26T12:12:03Z","timestamp":1758888723000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Changes in benzodiazepine, z-drug, and other sedative prescribing in primary care in Ireland between 2014 and 2022"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"42","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7208-3613","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Molly","family":"Mattsson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 111 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 VN51 ,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ahmed","family":"Hassan Ali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 111 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 VN51 ,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fiona","family":"Boland","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Data Science Centre, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 123 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 YN77 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,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Derek","family":"Corrigan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FutureNeuro, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 123 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 VN77 ,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8920-7419","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mary E","family":"Walsh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 111 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 VN51 ,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, Woodview House, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 C1P1 ,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tom","family":"Fahey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Practice, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 123 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 VN77 ,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9838-3625","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Frank","family":"Moriarty","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , 111 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 VN51 ,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025102207453325800_cmaf078-B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"594","DOI":"10.3390\/neurolint13040059","article-title":"Benzodiazepines: uses, dangers, and clinical considerations","volume":"13","author":"Edinoff","year":"2021","journal-title":"Neurol Int"},{"key":"2025102207453325800_cmaf078-B2","author":"British National 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