Benzodiazepines – Clinical Guidelines

Substance Use Disorders

In 2017, the CCSMH was awarded funding by Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), to develop four sets of clinical guidelines on the prevention, screening, assessment, and treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonist Use Disorder (BUD), Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in older adults. The following introduction and methodology were used for all four guidelines: 

• Introduction to the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health Guidelines on Substance Use Disorders Among Older Adults
• Methodology

Important takeaways from these guidelines

• Health care providers should use non-pharmacological approaches for anxiety and insomnia and advocate for more resources.
• BZRAs should never be prescribed for longer than 4 weeks. Health care providers should work towards gradual withdrawal and discontinuation where possible.
• Patients should be made aware of BZRAs limited use and risks.
• There are resources available to support the withdrawal and discontinuation of BZRAs and for alternate treatments of anxiety and insomnia.