Benzodiazepine and cyclopyrrolone reduction in general practice — Does this lead to concomitant change in the use of antipsychotics?: A study based on a Danish population

IntroductionIn the period 2004–2006, 15 doctors in the Danish municipality of Lemvig introduced a more restrictive approach to the prescription of benzodiazepines and cyclopyrrolones. A prescription could be renewed only following personal consultation, and prescriptions were issued for only a single month's usage. The intervention reduced the prescription of benzodiazepine anxiolytics by 50%, cyclopyrrolones by 57% and benzodiazepine hypnotics by 55% over a 1½ year period. There is a paucity of knowledge about whether such an intervention reduces drug consumption in general or merely shifts consumption to other drugs. Here especially antipsychotics (AP) are in the spotlight.Materials and methodsThe current article describes the prescription of antipsychotics before and after the intervention. Consumption was followed via the Danish Medicines Agency's website Ordiprax, where the quantity of pharmacy-sold prescription drugs by individual medical practices can be monitored.ResultsThe overall increase in the prescription of antipsychotics during the intervention described here was not more than 3.1% of the reduction in prescriptions of benzodiazepine and cyclopyrrolone measured in defined daily doses (DDD).ConclusionThe intervention against benzodiazepine and cyclopyrrolone did not result in an uncontrollable increase in the prescription of antipsychotic drugs. It cannot be excluded that the intervention impacted individual prescriptions. For future interventions of a similar nature, it is recommended that GPs are trained in the use of antipsychotics.