Prescribing hypnotics in out-patient practice

Overview

Hypnotics may pose a risk for the patient, namely when they are not prescribed rationally. Prescriptions of hypnotics have been followed up at five pharmacies over a period of 12 months. In the course of ten months before the amendment of Act No. 167/1998 Dig., the ratio of prescriptions of benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics was 57:43 expressed in RDD; the most frequently prescribed drug was Rohypnol tbl (1 mg of active substance, flunitrazepam), the most frequently prescribed active substance was flunitrazepam (in a single product). In the course of the first two months following the Amendment, the ratio of prescribed benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics changed to 45:55, expressed in RDD. In first place was then the prescription drug Hypnogen tbl 15, the mostfrequently prescribed active substance being zolpidem (in 7 different products). Hypnotics were prescribed overwhelmingly to patients of the 61–80 year age group, more to females than to males, more frequently in the autumn and winter months. In a continued follow-up at one of the former pharmacies over another seven months there has been found a shift in the ratio of prescribed benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics down to 24:76. The prescribing of the product Rohypnol tbl has a declining trend.

Key words:
hypnotics – benzodiazepines – non-benzodiazepines – prescriptions.