Benzodiazepines and a newer class called z-drugs are together classified as benzodiazepine and Z- drug receptor agonists (BZRAs). All of which makes last week’s disclosure by the Department of Health that Ireland has the highest rate of chronic benzodiazepine use in people over 65 in the OECD a cause for concern. The new report found that Ireland has the highest rate of chronic benzodiazepine prescription in 16 out of 34 OECD countries. We need further research into the reasons for international differences in chronic BZRA use. And we must resource and implement specialist programmes to help older people, in particular, to deal with benzodiazepine addiction.

Source: The Irish Times July 14, 2019 23:03 UTC