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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2017, 19, N5 (pages: 15 - 22)

The Benzodiazepine Prescribing Support Tool - a Small Scale Pilot Study

Gibson L., Bowden K., Hill D., and Towle I.

Summary: Introduction: Those patients suffering from substance misuse problems are often vulnerable to other drugs of addiction, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Often these patients can find themselves prescribed both agonist opioid therapy (AOT) and benzodiazepines. Dual prescribing of these drugs is high risk and significantly increases overdose risk. However guidance and support tools to help mitigate this risk are currently lacking. Methods: This is a small scale pilot study which aims to develop a benzodiazepine prescribing support tool, to help improve the safety of benzodiazepine prescribing in substance misuse patients. This tool has been developed from guidance within national and local guidelines. Prescribers caseloads from NHS Lanarkshire Addiction Services were used to assess the tool. Results: It was found the tool provided a simple and quick template for which to audit prescribers benzodiazepine prescribing and to help guideline development, and it could be adapted and used in other organisations. Conclusions: Although small in scale with limitations, this pilot study is a good proof of concept for the further development of the benzodiazepine support tool in substance misuse patients.