Study of a Team Approach by General Practitioners and Pharmacists to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use in Older Adults BESTOPH-MG Trial

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a joint intervention by general practitioners GPs and pharmacists to help reduce benzodiazepine or related drug BZDR use in elderly patients. BZDRs are commonly used for sleep or anxiety issues but have risks including daytime sedation, falls, cognitive problems, accidents, and dementia, especially in older adults with multiple health conditions. Despite recommendations to limit BZDR use, many elderly patients continue long-term use, often unaware of the risks. This study investigates whether collaboration between GPs and pharmacists, combined with motivational interviewing, can improve deprescribing outcomes in this population. Participants are divided into two groups one receives a collaboration intervention where pharmacists conduct three motivational interviews with patients after their GP visit, sharing reports with the GP to support deprescribing efforts. Pharmacists are trained in motivational interviewing and provide educational materials. The other group continues usual care with standard GP visits and medication dispensing without additional intervention. This study is a randomized, parallel design cluster trial led by Nantes University Hospital. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed through sociological interviews with patients, GPs, and pharmacists at 3 to 6 months and again 12 months after enrollment ends. Additional evaluations include acceptability, fidelity to the intervention, BZDR consumption, anxiety, insomnia, quality of life, autonomy, and attachment to BZDR at various timepoints up to 12 months. Researchers aim to understand how well the intervention works, its acceptability, and its impact on patients health and medication use over time.

Effectiveness of a Joint General Practitioner-Pharmacist Intervention on Benzodiazepine Deprescribing in the Elderly