Background Benzodiazepines (BZP) in the elderly often have pharmacokinetic changes that could represent a potential risk of adverse effects. It is therefore recommended to avoid them or to reduce their usage time, if possible.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of an intervention on the use of BZP in patients admitted to a nursing home.

Material and methods A team composed of a nurse, a doctor and a pharmacist evaluated the drug treatment of the new admissions to one nursing home, trying to adjust the prescriptions and decrease the risk of adverse effects, according to the patient’s condition.

Descriptive comparative study before and after an intervention, in patients admitted to a nursing home over 22 months (2013–2014).

The number of BZP taken by the patients was evaluated at admission (pre-intervention period) and at discharge (post-intervention period). The percentages were compared using the χ² test.

Results Two hundred patients were included.

In the pre-intervention period, 51% were taking BZP (36% were taking one kind of BZP, 5% two, and 1.5% three), 22.5% were long half-life.

At discharge 42% were still taking BZP (40% were taking one kind of BZP, 2% two and no patients were taking three), only 11.9% were long half-life (a reduction of 47% p = 0.008).

Conclusion The intervention of this multidisciplinary group reduced the percentage of patients taking BZP discretely, however an significant reduction in combinations of BZP was achieved and especially in the long half-life benzodiazepines, which are the most risky.

References and/or acknowledgements Hospital d’igualada

Fundació sanitaria sant josep

No conflict of interest.