A French study of adults aged at least 75 with advanced kidney disease identified long-term benzodiazepines among medications warranting reassessment.
The cross-sectional analysis included 556 patients with estimated filtration below 20 mL/min/1.73 m². Median daily medication count was nine. The investigators distinguished renal appropriateness from potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults. At least one medication classified as potentially inappropriate was recorded for 57.6% of patients.
The paper highlights long-term benzodiazepines alongside other classes for medication review; its overall percentages are not benzodiazepine-specific adverse-event rates. Nephrologist-recruited patients may differ from the wider population, and prescriptions from other clinicians or self-medication could be incompletely represented. A review flag should lead to an assessment of indication, duration, actual administration, and clinical response. These data describe medication burden and potential risk, not proof that a particular benzodiazepine caused renal deterioration, a fall, or cognitive symptoms.
Original analysis of the supplied journal article, identified as PMC7057617.