Benzodiazepine dependence in subjects with alcohol use disorders: what prevalence?

ABSTRACT

Objective: To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted in France on benzodiazepine (BZD) dependence among outpatients with alcohol use disorders (AUD). Some international studies have been conducted on the consumption of BZD in this specific population, but the comparisons among them are difficult. We aimed to assess the current prevalence of probable benzodiazepine and BZD-like hypnotics (Z-drugs) dependence among outpatients seeking treatment for AUD.

Methods: Participants were patients seeking treatment for AUD for the first time or repeating treatment after more than twelve months. Recruitment took place in seven addiction centres between January and December 2013 in the Nantes region (France). BZD/Z-drug dependence was assessed according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for dependence. This information was gathered through a self-report questionnaire.

Results: Among the 1005 patients included in this study, 413 were BZD/Z-drug users (41.1%). Among the 413 patients, 217 were probably dependent on at least one substance, which represents 21.6% of the total population and 52.5% of BZD/Z-drug users.

Conclusion: BZD/Z-drug dependence represents a public health concern. Prescribers should take the risks into account and keep treatment courses to a minimum.

KEYWORDS:

• Abuse
• alcohol
• benzodiazepine
• dependence
• substance use disorder

Acknowledgments

An abstract and a poster were presented at the 8th Workshops of Pharmacodependence and Addictovigilance (Biarritz, October 27-28th, 2014) and the 19th Congress of the French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Caen, April 21-23th, 2015). We would like to thank the medical assistants who helped include patients in the study.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.