Prevalence, country-specific prescribing patterns and determinants of benzodiazepine use in community-residing older adults in 7 European countries

Table 2 Spectrum of doses of the 4 most frequently used BZDs in the study^a

Diazepam			Alprazolam			Bromazepam			Lorazepam
Daily dose^b [mg]	N	%	Daily dose^b [mg]	N	%	Daily dose^b [mg]	N	%	Daily dose^b [mg]	N	%
2	3	2.5	0.0625	1	1.0	1.5	18	17.5	0.5	4	5.6
4	4	3.4	0.25	13	12.9	2	1	1.0	1	40	56.3
5	40	33.6	0.5	35	34.7	2.25	1	1.0	1.25	1	1.4
7.5	1	0.8	0.75	2	2.0	3	59	60.8	1.5	1	1.4
10	27	22.7	1	14	13.9	4.5	1	1	2	3	4.2
15	3	2.5	1.5	6	5.9	6	3	3.1	2.5	15	21.1
19	1	0.8	2	3	3.0	9	1	1.0	4	2	2.8
20	1	0.8	3	2	2.0				5	2	2.8
30	1	0.8
PRN^c	37	31.1	PRN^c	25	24.8	PRN^c	12	12.4	PRN^c	3	4.2
Unknown^d	1	0.8	Unknown^d	0	0.0	Unknown^d	1	2.1	Unknown^d	0	0.0
Total	119	100	Total	101	100	Total	97	100	Total	71	100.0

^a Parts highlighted in bold represent doses that are higher than usual recommended geriatric doses for older population:
5 mg for diazepam [18], 0.75 mg for alprazolam [18], 3 mg for bromazepam [18] and 1 mg for lorazepam [18]
^b Daily dose was calculated as dose strength of 1 unit * number of units given per day (morning + afternoon + evening + bedtime)
^c PRN – pro re nata – used on “as needed” basis, there were no available data on daily dose in this dosage regime
^d Unknown data on dose – information on dose unavailable

ISSN: 1471-2318