Benzodiazepine use disorder: A cross-sectional study at a tertiary care center in Lebanon

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Tharwat El Zahran, American University of Beirut; Elie Kanaan, American University of Beirut; Lynn Kobeissi, American University of Beirut; Joseph Bouassi, American University of Beirut; Aseel Sarieddine, American University of Beirut; Joseph Carpenter, Emory University; Ziad Kazzi, Emory University; Eveline Hitti, American University of Beirut
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-09-23
• Publisher: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000030762
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: MEDICINE
• Volume: 101
• Issue: 38
• Start Page: E30762
• End Page: E30762
• Grant/Funding Information: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose.
• Keywords: benzodiazepine; General & Internal Medicine; Medicine, General & Internal; ADULT-POPULATION; drug misuse; abuse and dependence; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; ABUSE; substance use disorder; DRUGS; MISUSE; PATTERNS; PRESCRIPTION
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Pharmacology; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Benzodiazepines are medications used for the treatment of multiple conditions including anxiety disorders, insomnia, agitation, and seizures. They are the most prescribed psychiatric medications and the third most misused drugs among adults and adolescents in the US. This study aims to assess the patient utilization patterns and benzodiazepine use disorder among Lebanese patients. A cross-sectional study was performed on Lebanese patients presenting to the Emergency Department of the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), between November 11th, 2019, and May 30th, 2020. Institutional review board approved the study, and an informed consent was obtained from patients. A total of 244 patients were included in the final analysis. A total of 154 (63.1%) patients were found to have benzodiazepine use disorder as per the DSM-V criteria with the majority (64%) being females and young adults aged 18 to 40 years. The most common medication was alprazolam, and anxiety was the most common reason for benzodiazepine use. The majority (88%) of patients obtained their medications using a physician's prescription. More than half of users were not satisfied with the physician's instructions and lacked knowledge about side effects and abuse potential. The high rate of benzodiazepine misuse among our young adults highlights an important public health concern that requires interventions and policy implementation.