Correlates and Prevalence of Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists Misuse and Dependence

• Main Authors: Hai-Ting Lin, 林海婷
• Other Authors: Cheng-Fang Yen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/02454272958363128727

碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 醫學系神經學科碩士班 === 101 === Aims: Benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BzRAs, or Z-drugs) were considered effective for short-term treatment of insomnia with less adverse effects and lower risk of dependence than traditional benzodiazepines. However, many studies have found that long-term use of BzARs still causes undesirable effects physically, mentally and cognitively, even results dependence or addiction. Since the proportion of BzRAs (especially zolpidem) abuse in Taiwan have kept rising over the past years, this study aimed to determine what characteristics or patterns associate with BzRAs misuse and dependence in order to early detect in clinical practice and decline the abuse as well as to reduce the subsequent problems to the side effects of BzRAs. Methods: Psychiatric outpatients aged 20 to 55 and medicated with BzRAs for at least 3 months were interviewed through questionnaires at Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital. A total of 172 subjects were included and analyzed by descriptive statistics and logistic regression statistics. Results: The behavior of taking BzRAs more than the prescribed dose was related to regular companion, habitual analgesics taking, long-term use of BzRAs, and habitual alcohol drinking which hazarded the highest (OR=17.857). The behavior of taking BzRAs at non-prescribed time was associated with habitual analgesics taking, high daily BzRAs dose, and habitual alcohol drinking which hazarded the highest (OR=37.598). There were 39.5% subjects who have BzRAs dependence tendency, while the correlates of dependence were smoking, stronger beliefs about necessity and concerns of BzRAs treatment. Conclusions: Habitual use of substance such as alcohol, analgesics, tobacco, is at high risk of BzRAs misuse and dependence; furthermore, the beliefs about medicines also significantly affect BzRAs addiction.