Benzodiazepines use and its implications: an integrative literature review ; Uso de benzodiazepínicos e suas implicações: revisão integrativa

Objectives: to analyze the scientific literature on the use of benzodiazepines. Method: this is an integrative review, performed based on the guiding question: "what generalizations we can make about the studies about benzodiazepine use?", using data from the Virtual Health Library, in the period 2008-2012, with the following tags: benzodiazepines, psychotropic drugs and pharmacoepidemiology. Fifty-one articles were selected after reading and an instrument especially elaborated for the study was used in the data collection. Results: in the population, the prevalence of benzodiazepines usage in different communities ranged from 6.9% to 14% in general population and varies from 9.2% to 13.8% among elderly. These values vary according to the method of data mining, with an average of 12% for primary source (involving 27-729 individuals) and 9.1% for studies with secondary source (1192-30000 participants). Due to the epidemiological transition, there was an increase tendency of 2.8% to 22% in the users´ population. Among elderly, 18% up to 32% use these drugs, which are inappropriate for this population stratum: the latter being associated with a two to three times increase in the risk of falls, cognitive impairment and memory loss. Conclusion: the studies describe the prevalence and the profile of benzodiazepines users, but do not explore the practices or the motivations that lead to their use. This hinders the establishment of generalizations that can serve as planning for prevention actions and rational use of these medicines. descriptors: benzodiazepines; psychotropic drugs; pharmacoepidemiology. ; RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a produção científica sobre o uso de benzodiazepínicos. Método: revisão integrativa, com vistas a responder a questão norteadora << Quais as generalizações que podemos fazer acerca dos estudos sobre uso de benzodiazepínicos? >>, com levantamento de dados nas bases LILACS e MEDLINE, no período de 2008 a 2012, utilizando os descritores: benzodiazepinas, psicofármacos e ...