Prescription of triazolam for the elderly in Japan:

A sub-analysis of the drug event monitoring project by the Japan Pharmaceutical Association

Abstract

Japan has the highest rate of triazolam use per capita in the world. A questionnaire-based survey of 820 triazolam users was conducted in order to assess the safety of triazolam therapy in a real-world clinical setting in Japan. The patients who used more than the recommended dose of triazolam (3.8%) were all elderly (65 years of age or older), and were more likely to be dissatisfied with their treatment and to increase the dose by themselves compared with those using an appropriate dose. Adverse symptoms were reported by 4.5% of subjects. The most common symptoms were morning drowsiness (1.7%) and impaired balance and/or falls (1.2%). None of the patients discontinued the use of hypnotics, and 99% of subjects continued triazolam treatment in spite of the unsatisfactory efficacy and/or adverse symptoms. This preliminary study suggests that prescription of triazolam may be associated with addictive behaviors in the elderly.