Use of benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety
Elisa Cascade, Amir H Kalali, Elisa Cascade, Amir H Kalali
Abstract
We examined the role of benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety by both psychiatrists and primary care physicians. Over the past year, 112.8 million prescriptions were filled for a benzodiazepine: 55 percent were prescribed by a primary care physician, 16 percent by a psychiatrist, and the remaining 29 percent of prescriptions by another type of specialty physician. Benzodiazepine monotherapy is much more common in the treatment of anxiety by primary care physicians (42%) than psychiatrists (22%). Even when both benzodiazepine monotherapy and combination regimens are considered, total benzodiazepine use remains slightly greater in primary care than psychiatry (51% vs. 42%).
Keywords: antidepressant; anxiety; benzodiazepine; combination therapy; monotherapy; primary care physician; psychiatrist.
Figures
![FIGURE 1.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2687085/bin/PE_5_9_21_g001.jpg)
![FIGURE 2.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2687085/bin/PE_5_9_21_g002.jpg)
Source: PubMed