Lead: Benzodiazepine Discontinuation and Mortality

Lead Story:

Benzodiazepine Discontinuation and Mortality Among Patients Receiving Long-Term Benzodiazepine Therapy 

JAMA Network Open

In this comparative effectiveness study among 353,576 patients receiving stable long-term treatment with benzodiazepines, discontinuation was associated with small absolute increases in mortality and other potential harms, including nonfatal overdose, suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, and emergency department visits. These results suggest benzodiazepine discontinuation among patients prescribed for stable long-term treatment may be associated with unanticipated harms, and that efforts to promote discontinuation should carefully consider the potential risks of discontinuation relative to continuation.

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