Prescription of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs among older patients in primary care: a French, national, cohort study.

This article examines the prescribing patterns of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (BZD/ZDs) by French general practitioners (GPs) to patients aged 65 and over in primary care between 2000 and 2010. It found that approximately 22% of consultations with older adults resulted in a BZD/ZD prescription, with overprescription defined as rates above the median. No sociodemographic or practice-related GP characteristics predicted overprescription; instead, a higher burden of chronic diseases and a greater number of other drugs prescribed per consultation were independently associated with increased BZD/ZD prescribing. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to support GPs in managing complex older patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy to reduce potentially inappropriate BZD/ZD use. Limitations include the age of the data, lack of information on prescription renewals, and absence of dosage details.