Benzodiazepines, Codispensed Opioids, and Mortality among Patients Initiating Long-Term In-Center Hemodialysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Mortality from benzodiazepine/opioid interactions is a growing concern in light of the opioid epidemic. Patients on hemodialysis suffer from a high burden of physical/psychiatric conditions, which are treated with benzodiazepines, and they are three times more likely to be prescribed opioids than the general population. Therefore, we studied mortality risk associated with short- and long-acting benzodiazepines and their interaction with opioids among adults initiating hemodialysis.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

The cohort of 69,368 adults initiating hemodialysis (January 2013 to December 2014) was assembled by linking US Renal Data System records to Medicare claims. Medicare claims were used to identify dispensed benzodiazepines and

SUBMITTER: Muzaale AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7274292 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature