It is estimated that 1.5 to 1.9 million persons in Germany are addicted to legal medicine,
mainly benzodiazepines, hypnotics and pain killers. It is assumed that the largest
portion of these medications is prescribed by physicians and is taken by the patients
over a long period of time.
To determine the degree of prescribed benzodiazepines that could lead to misuse and
addiction we analyzed benzodiazepine prescriptions in a two year time frame from 2005
to 2007 which were billed at the North German Computing Center for Pharmacies at the
expense of the governmental health insurance funds.
For the German regions of Hamburg, Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein we parsed the benzodiazepine
prescriptions individual-related over a period of 12 months. The North German Computing
Center for Pharmacies covers 83% of all pharmacies in the metropolitan region of Hamburg,
88% in the city of Bremen and 87% in the territorial state of Schleswig-Holstein.
To compare the different benzodiazepine derivatives we transformed the substance into
standardized 10mg Diazepam equivalents and into DDDs (Defined Daily Dosages).
Based on the individual sequences of benzodiazepine prescriptions and the respective
dosage, we assigned individuals to different levels of being in danger of problematic
use of benzodiazepines according to the German medical guidelines.
The results of the longitudinal analyses of the prescription data show that most benzodiazepine
prescriptions are in accordance with German medical guidelines. Nevertheless, 15%
to 20% of the patients are assigned to levels of being in danger of problematic use
of benzodiazepines which is connected with misuse and addiction.
Diazepam equivalents and DDDs - German medical guidelines - benzodiazepine - epidemiology
- prescribed benzodiazepines
